For Your Love
by Gemmika
Summary: When their kingdom is put at risk by slander from a rebellious family of nobility, Queen Elsa of Swendway comes up with a plan to save her throne and to give her younger sister, Princess Anna, the fairy tale romance she has always craved. 35 suitors. A hopeful Princess. A palace filled with secrets. Let the Selection begin.
1. Prologue: A Royal Feud

**Disclaimer:** I'm not Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee or Kiera Cass. I do not own any of these characters or the idea of a Selection. This is purely for fun and I'm not making any money off of it.

 **A/N:** Hey everyone! It's me again, this time I'm back with my very first crossover fic! This one is going to be massive, at least 30 chapters, but possibly many more. I hope you all enjoy it.

Anna Arendelle, Princess of Swendway, sat on the soft leather sofa in the Queen's study. Her hands were clenched tightly in her lap and her eyes were focused on her older sister as the Queen paced around the small room. The tension between them was unusually high and it infected the room, making it hard for Anna to draw in a breath.

"And you're sure there's nothing we can do to persuade them?" Anna asked. Her voice sounded thin and reedy to her ears, betraying her fear.

Elsa wrapped her arms around herself and stared out the window toward the fjord. "They want us out of the palace, Anna. They don't want a woman in charge of the country, let alone a _witch_ _._ " Her voice broke on the word and she closed her eyes.

"They can immigrate to Italy or even Ilea for that matter," Anna protested angrily, her hands crushing the velvet of her skirt in her frustration. "We aren't keeping anyone here against their will!"

The Queen didn't respond immediately, instead she leaned her forehead against the window and the glass frosted over quickly. She couldn't always keep her power under control when she was upset, and it was something that the Easton family were quick to point out to the media nowadays. They were afraid of her, of what she could do if under extreme stress. The Easton's were an old family, a family with political ties, who felt that the Arendelle line (and Elsa in particular) no longer had the kingdom's best interests at heart. They were causing trouble, spreading rumors and speculation in the kingdom. Unfortunately, they were getting much more vocal and the people of Swendway were starting to listen. It was why she had summoned Anna to her study in the first place.

"What if…" Anna said hesitantly, trailing off with a question in her tone.

Elsa turned from the window, one pale brow raised. "Yes?"

Anna twisted her skirt in her hands, the material lifting from the floor and showing off her delicate ankles. It wasn't ladylike, but she was too preoccupied with her thoughts to care. "Well, one of the concerns is the continuation of the family line, right?" She took a deep breath and pressed on before Elsa could interrupt her. "They aren't thrilled about having a woman in charge of the kingdom, but what if you got married? It wouldn't fix everything, but the people might quiet down if there was a male presence in the monarchy."

Ice blue eyes widened at Anna's words. Elsa moved from the window and crossed the room to sit by her sister's side on the sofa. "Marriage? Me?" she whispered, a dry laugh escaping her lips. "Do you really think the same men who are afraid of me would be willing to marry me?"

Anna shrugged. "Do you have a better idea?"

Elsa's eyes narrowed as she looked into Anna's face. Her younger sister was so youthful, her optimism unhindered by reality. She wished she could be that free, but her position as Queen didn't allow it and neither did the powers she had been born with. She would always have to be careful with her emotions and understand how the world really perceived their family. They were royalty, which meant they were constantly under watch by the people around them, and because she knew the way things worked, she knew that a marriage for her was out of the question. But… it didn't have to be that way for Anna.

Her thoughts raced a mile a minute, lingering on something her sister had said just a few minutes before. _Ilea_. The answer was Ilea.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Elsa said breathlessly, a laugh in her voice.

"Well, spill it!" Anna demanded, nearly bouncing off the sofa with her enthusiasm.

"No one will want to marry _me_ , but I'm not the only one who can continue our bloodline." Elsa beamed at her sister, genuine excitement filling her up. "Anna, the people adore you! What if _you_ get married instead? The entire nation would celebrate every moment of your courtships!"

Confusion filled the princess's teal blue eyes. "Courtships? Plural?"

"I think it's time for Swendway to borrow an idea from our Ilean friends," Elsa said and squeezed Anna's hand. "We are going to hold a Selection."


	2. Chapter One: The Announcement

**A/N:** I know it's a bit of a slow start, but bare with me. When the guys start to arrive, things will pick up quite a bit. I just have to get there first ;)

"Thank you for that update on the unrest in New Asia, Minister. Now we turn to a more palatable topic, and here to speak with us about it is our very own Princess Anna. How are you this evening your Highness?"

Anna plastered a smile on her face as the camera turned from the host of the Weekend Report, Theodor Clausen, to focus on her. She really liked Theodor, he had been in charge of giving the Weekend Report in Swendway since she was two years old. He had been around for every event of her life, from birthdays to the untimely death of her parents. She felt calmer knowing that he was there. It would be like having a conversation with an old friend, instead of offering herself up on a platter for all the men of the kingdom. Well, that was her hope anyway.

"Hello, Ted," she said with false cheer in her voice. She was trying to still her fidgeting hands. It wouldn't do for all of Swendway to see how nervous she was. As it was, she had worn her favorite dress for the event, hoping that the layers of pale green and gold silk would at least give the appearance that she was put together… even if she was falling to pieces inside.

"Anna, I've heard that you have a special announcement to make for the eligible men of Swendway, is that true?" Ted asked warmly, eagerly. He was setting just the right tone for the interview and announcement. She realized that she didn't have to do this alone, Ted was going to be with her every step of the way. Her hands stopped shaking and a warmth filled her. This might be easier than she thought.

"Well, I guess that I do," Anna admitted, a nervous laugh bubbling up from her chest. "You know that I turn nineteen near the end of next month and it's about time that I start thinking about suitors."

Ted winked at her and a flush crept up her neck and stained her cheeks. Before she could embarrass herself further, she rushed on, trying to get the words out that she and Elsa had so perfectly crafted.

"As many of you know, our kingdom has been faced with a possible division in loyalties. The Arendelle family has been accused of many things, including the fact that we don't care enough about our citizens to marry and produce heirs. To prove that the royal family _is_ devoted to our people, Queen Elsa and I have decided to host a Selection here in Swendway. Three men from each of the eleven Provinces, and two from our very own Lofoten Islands will be chosen to come to the palace for an undetermined amount of time. During the time that they are here, I'm hopeful that one of the dashing, handsome men chosen will prove worthy of becoming my Prince Consort."

She threw a cautious look toward her sister, relaxing only when Elsa gave her the faintest of nods. She had delivered the news as well as she was able, now it was time to discuss the announcement with Ted. That part she was much more comfortable with.

"Anna, I'm sure all of the eligible young men of our glorious kingdom are interested in knowing how they can be one of the thirty five you mentioned. Would you care to explain?" Ted prompted her, a wide smile on his aging face.

"Well," she began, shooting another glance at her sister, "this morning we sent out applications based on the latest census reports. By the end of the week every home with an unmarried male resident between the ages of 18-25 should have the appropriate forms to fill out. Because my birthday is only a few weeks away we want to try and have all the names picked beforehand. I think the plan is to have a grand ball the night of my birthday where I can meet each of the guys who might end up being my husband."

The first real smile of the evening blossomed over her face. The thought of dancing her birthday away with dozens of handsome men was a fantasy from her childhood. What princess didn't want to be swept off her feet and treated to a whirlwind romance? As nervous as she was, she was also excited. In just a few weeks she would meet the man who she would marry.

Her heart skipped a beat in anticipation.

"Can I ask how you and Her Majesty came up with the idea of a Selection? It's not something that has ever been done in Swendway before, am I right?" Ted asked.

"No, this is definitely the first time our kingdom has attempted anything like this," Anna agreed, leaning forward as if to impart a big secret or a piece of juicy gossip, and tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear. "Elsa actually came up with the idea because of our close friendship with Ilea. When Princess Eadlyn and Prince Erik came to visit last year during their honeymoon, they stayed with us at the palace for their visit. During the two weeks they were here, Elsa and Eadlyn became good friends and the Princess talked a lot about her own Selection and how it led her to her true love, even though she hadn't been expecting it. When Elsa and I began to plan out this idea, we spent long hours on the phone with Eadlyn, getting ideas for how to make it work here in Swendway. It's such a romantic idea, I just know it's going to be an adventure!"

The words had burst out of her in a rush, spilling out quicker than she had intended, and with much more information than she had planned. She bit her lip and shot another glance at Elsa. The Queen was urging her on, her hands held out as if to ask for more now that she had started to warm to her subject.

"I'm really looking forward to getting started with the Selection. I know I can't make time go by any faster, but I wish I could!" she joked. "How many girls get this kind of opportunity? It's the stuff fairy tales are made of."

The whole room burst into delighted laughter and Anna grinned in response. Finally, she had started to ease the tension in the room.

"Princess, I have a few questions if you don't mind," Ted said jovially, his famous smile lit up like a thousand watt bulb.

Anna gestured him to go ahead with a polite wave of her hand, but her attention was almost immediately claimed by her maid Cora rushing across the room, her skirt clutched in one hand and an envelope in the other. Cora gave Elsa a quick curtsy and then she knelt at her feet and handed her the envelope. Anna watched with bated breath, wondering if this would be the moment that the Easton family finally crossed the line from vocal to actually making good on their threats. Elsa skimmed the note inside the envelope and her eyes shot to Anna's face. It wasn't fear or worry that shone in her crystal blue eyes, it was triumph. Something good had happened and Anna was impatient for the Report to end so she could find out what it was.

"Princess?"

Her title caught her attention and she turned back toward Ted, her eyes wide with apologies. "I'm sorry, Ted, I think I got sidetracked. What were you asking?"

"Already daydreaming about your Prince Charming?" Ted teased, and Anna silently thanked him for covering up her faux pas.

"It's hard not to when I could be standing face to face with him by my birthday," she agreed, feeling only the slightest bit of shame for lying on national television. It wasn't really prudent for the public to know what had sidetracked her anyway.

"So, I was trying to ask what kind of activities we can expect to see from the Selection. Do you have any dates or events planned yet?"

"Well," Anna paused thoughtfully, "It's hard to plan dates for men I haven't met yet. I'm hoping that the thirty five Selected will have something in common with me, and I guess we will go from there. Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could find some common ground with at least a few of them? I mean, even if it's just love of chocolate we can build on that! I adore chocolate… maybe my true love is a pastry chef! Wouldn't that be amazing? I can just picture it now, I would gain so much weight that I wouldn't be able to fit into my wardrobe, but he wouldn't care because it would be the highest compliment to him, right? Or maybe he's an avid reader like me and we will spend all of our free time curled up in front of the fireplace in the library! Or maybe..."

Ted held a hand up to stop her, but she could see the laughter in his eyes so she knew that she was probably just getting carried away. That tended to happen a lot.

"Slow down, your Highness," Ted suggested, his lips twitching as he tried to keep a straight face. "I'm sure that whoever becomes the Prince Consort will be wonderful, no matter what his hobbies are. For the kingdom's sake it's probably better if he _isn't_ a pastry chef."

Another round of laughter from those gathered in the room. Anna felt the heat of embarrassment sting her cheeks and she resolved to finish up the interview without embarrassing herself again. If that were possible.

"To answer your question, I don't have any specific dates in mind, but there are a few events that Elsa and I have talked to the palace staff about. I don't want to give anything away in case it might deter my future Prince, but let's say that the fishing is very good here on the Lofoten Isles and it might be prudent for the men Selected to bring their fishing rods with them," Anna suggested with a mischievous grin.

"I think we are running low on time," Ted said, "but we have just enough for a final word from our Princess. Anna, what is the one thing you would like to tell all of the men out there who are thinking about submitting their names for the Selection?"

Anna knew that only one thing really mattered to her and it was of the utmost importance. "I just want to remind all of you that this is entirely your choice. If you don't want the responsibility that would come with being a member of the royal family, please remember that you don't have to do this. In order for it to work, we both have to be willing to make whatever sacrifices are needed for our kingdom. Also, you could be a guest for several months, so take that into consideration as well…" she paused as the most important words stuck in her throat. She couldn't stop now, she had to finish her thought. "My parents were very much in love when they married, and they remained so until their death a few years ago. I desperately want the same for my marriage."

Silence fell over the room, a hush that suggested an understanding of the seriousness of her words.

"Well, I guess that's all the time we have for tonight," Ted said, breaking the silence. "To all of Swendway, the royal family bids you a good night."

When the cameras clicked off, Anna drew her first easy breath of the night. She still had a long way to go with the Selection, but at least this first part was over. She no longer had to worry about selling herself. If a man wasn't interested in putting his name in, nothing she could do now would change it. She was free of responsibility where the Selection was concerned until it was time to choose the names in three weeks. It felt like she had been granted a last minute reprieve.

"Anna, you were wonderful!"

Cora, Anna's personal maid, paid her that compliment as she dashed to her side. After delivering the note to Elsa, she had taken a seat off to the side of the room so as not to disrupt the Report again. Now she beamed at her mistress and Anna couldn't help but grin back.

"I wasn't too… me?" Anna asked with a wobbly smile. It wasn't exactly news to her that she could get carried away, that she was too frivolous and excitable to be the Princess that Swendway's council wanted. She knew that the interview hadn't exactly gone the way Elsa had hoped, and she was worried that she had disappointed her sister once again.

Cora took Anna's hands in hers and stared earnestly into her mistress's eyes. "You were our enthusiastic, romantic girl. Trust me when I say that Elsa's assistant is going to be flooded with applications before you know it."

Hope blossomed in her chest, warming her from her head to her toes. She squeezes Cora's hands, a gesture of gratitude. "You always know exactly what to say to make me feel better. What would I do without you?"

"Your own hair in the morning?" Cora quipped. Anna giggled, because it was true.

"Anna, can we talk for a minute?" Elsa asked, her voice carrying from the chair she had been sitting in during the Report. Anna gave Cora's hands one last squeeze and excused herself to move to Elsa's side.

She held up her hands in front of her as soon as she took a seat beside her sister. "Look, before you start, I know that I messed up…"

Elsa sighed and wrapped an arm around Anna's shoulders. "No, you did fine. I know you were nervous, but you were sweet and enchanting. Cora was right about that."

When Elsa didn't continue right away, Anna felt a nervous tremor run through her body. "But?" she pressed, knowing that there was something her sister wasn't saying and the uncertainty crawled across her skin, raising the hair on the back of her neck. "Is this about the letter you got during the Report?"

"No! Of course not!" Elsa's eyes widened and her hand clenched on Anna's shoulder. "The letter was a message from my assistant letting me know that tonight's broadcast had a record number of viewers. Apparently when the newspapers said that you had a big announcement, it really caught the attention of our kingdom. I was thrilled that you were getting your message out to as many eligible men as possible."

"Oh…" Anna tried not to think about the fact that she had made a fool of herself in front of a record number of people. Instead she focused on what Elsa wasn't saying. "So, that sounds like good news, but your eyes say otherwise. What's wrong?"

Elsa dropped her hands to her lap and averted her eyes. Anna felt the minutes trickle by in silence as the room emptied around them. She tried to hold it together, to keep her patience until her sister spoke her mind, but patience was not her strong suit. She was surprised she made it as long as she did.

"Elsa?"

Her sister gave her a weak smile and reached a hand across Anna's lap to squeeze her fingers. "It's nothing, really," she said dismissively.

"But…" Anna began, but was promptly cut off by Elsa waving her concerns away.

"Anna, it's fine. You should go and relax, all right? The Report is over and you have a few weeks until you have to go through the submissions and choose your suitors. Go and have a bubble bath or something," Elsa urged, her weak smile still pasted on her face.

"Well, if you insist," Anna said softly, uncertainty making her stomach clench.

She rose from the chair and made her way to the exit, but turned at the last moment to give Elsa a final look. The Queen, the most powerful woman in Swendway, was staring down at her hands which were balled into fists in her lap, looking for all the world like she was going to cry. It took every ounce of strength she had not to beg Elsa what was wrong, but her sister had made it clear that she wasn't interested in talking about it.

As the door closed behind her, the first flurry of snowflakes began to fall around the Queen's slumped frame.


	3. Chapter Two: The Arrival

A/N: So... I really have no idea how often I'm going to get these chapters out, but I'm going to try and be semi-regular. It's just difficult when I have two fics going, another handful on the back burner and then another set of original fiction ideas :/ Anyway, I'm working on a plan to get writing and because I might possibly have a new beta, things may pick up. Hope you enjoy!

Piercing blue eyes. A soft quirky smile. Thick wavy blonde hair. Each of the thirty five Selected had something going for them, and Anna struggled to decide if there was a specific trait she was drawn to.

"What about this one? Brian O'Connell?" Cora pointed to one of the pictures spread out on Anna's bed. They had been going through the pictures all morning, gossiping and laughing about the men who would be arriving in a matter of minutes. Cora had suggested it when she noticed Anna pacing around her room, worrying at her fingernails. It had been exactly what she needed, a chance to laugh at the situation instead of panic.

Anna picked up the picture that Cora had pointed to, a small grimace forming as she looked at it. The man in it was, for lack of a better word, gorgeous. His mouth was turned up in a half smile that promised things she could only dream of. He looked wicked, mischievous, and sexy. Anna wasn't sure that was really what she was looking for in a future husband.

"He's handsome," Anna admitted reluctantly, picking up the picture and staring into the soft brown eyes with crinkles at the corners.

She had been looking over these pictures obsessively for the last week, trying to memorize each and every one, as though she could learn everything about them by studying their faces. So far, the only thing she had really learned about them was the information in their applications, and that was only bare basics. She wanted to know more than what they did for a living, she wanted to know if they had anything in common, if they could make her laugh or sweep her off her feet. As hard as she tried, she just couldn't learn that from their pictures.

"You aren't looking for a handsome guy?" Cora teased.

"Of course I am," Anna said, frustration leaking into the light atmosphere that Cora had been trying to create. "I'm just not sure that I want to marry someone who is prettier than I am!"

Cora's mouth fell open in surprise at Anna's outburst. The two girls stared at each other for a moment, and then burst into laughter. It was a ridiculous complaint, especially coming from Anna. She had never exactly worried about her looks. She knew that Elsa was considered the "pretty" one in their family, and she had long ago come to terms with it.

"I guess this whole Selection thing is making me crazy," Anna sighed. She dropped the picture of Brian back on the bed and sat back on her heels, surveying the collection of suitors again. "I don't really know what I want."

Her eyes moved over the pictures scattered in front of her, and settled on one that she had been drawn to time and again. The man in it was so unlike the others that she couldn't help but wonder how he had even made it to the final selection process. Elsa's assistant, Bianca, had informed her of the strenuous process all of the men were put through to make it to the final steps. Each applicant had gone through a rigorous background check that included not only possible criminal history, but financial, personal and professional histories as well. Out of the over four hundred thousand applicants, less than half had actually made it to her for the blind Selection a week ago.

This one, Kristoff Bjorgman, wasn't as polished as the others. His hair was unfashionably long, the grim set of his mouth suggested he wasn't particularly thrilled about having his picture taken… yet somehow he was one of her suitors, for better or worse. She wondered what his motivations were for entering the Selection. Was he actually interested in her? Was it the social standing he would gain? Did he just really hate cameras and she was overthinking it? Questions about him plagued her more than any of the others.

A light knock at the door diverted her attention from the pictures, and before either Cora or Anna could get up to open the door, it swung open and a mass of blond hair and linen skirts barreled inside.

"Momma!" Cora's daughter threw herself across the room and into her mother's arms. "Queen Elsa let me make a snowman!"

"Miranda," Cora chided, looking into her four year old's face, "Were you bothering the Queen again? I told you to stay away from her study while she's working."

Anna put her hand to her lips to hold in her laughter. Cora looked so exasperated, and Miranda so pleased with herself that it was hard to contain the small giggle that escaped her lips. When Cora threw an annoyed look at her mistress, Anna just grinned at her.

"It's fine. Elsa adores her, you know," Anna pointed out. She held out her arms to the little girl and Miranda happily squirmed out of her mother's arms and sat in the Princess's lap.

"That's not the issue. I don't want her interrupting anything important. What if she flounced her way into a state meeting?" Cora sighed, giving her daughter a stern look. "I would prefer to keep my job, thanks."

"Out of all the servants in the palace, you are the least likely to lose your job, especially over your little girl _acting_ like a little girl. You two are practically part of the family."

"See Mommy, It's fine," Miranda said with a wide smile.

Cora sighed, and her shoulders slumped. "Aren't you supposed to be with your nanny?"

As if on cue, a run down young woman appeared in the doorway, out of breath and just as exasperated as Cora had just been. "Miranda! I told you not to run off like that. I've been looking all over the palace for you."

Anna reluctantly handed the girl over to her nanny. She liked it best when Cora brought her along when she worked. It was such a joy to hear her laughter, or watch as she learned something new. It made Anna long for her own daughter to cuddle close, and for the first time that was a possibility in the near future. It made her feel a little better about the men showing up today. It was the first real step toward all of the things she wanted most.

"Ah, your Highness," Miranda's nanny said breathlessly, hitching her charge up on her hip, "The Queen wanted me to give you a message if I saw you. The Selected have started arriving, so she wants you to stay in your quarters for the time being."

Anna snapped her head up. "What! Why?"

Cora reached over and placed a hand on Anna's shoulder. "The ball, remember?" she whispered softly. "You aren't supposed to meet the Selected until Friday night. The staff wants time to teach them a few things about etiquette in the palace, and how to dance… if I remember correctly."

Anna hated waiting. She was impatient by nature, so being told to stay in her room all day was akin to torture. Besides, she only wanted a peek… just to see if they really looked like their pictures. She didn't have to speak to any of them, right?

She shot what she hoped was a surreptitious look at her bedroom window, and the small balcony attached, and then smiled warmly at Cora. "Why don't you and Miranda go down to the kitchen for lunch? You can order me something for my room. I wouldn't want to disobey the Queen's orders now, would I?"

Cora pursed her lips, her eyebrows furrowing in obvious distrust. "I'll be back in an hour. If you aren't here when I get back…"

Anna rolled her eyes. "Yes mother."

Cora's lips twitched. Anna could tell she was trying to be authoritative, but it didn't last long. She shook her head and pushed herself up from the floor. "Just behave, alright? I don't want to get scolded because I couldn't keep you in line."

Anna forced the smile from her face and brought her hand to her heart, making a little crossing motion over it. "Cross my heart and hope to die…"

"Yeah, yeah," Cora groaned. "I'm leaving now, so you can stop teasing me. I'll have lunch sent up to you in a few minutes."

The maid took her daughter from her nanny, threw Anna one last disparaging look, and closed the door to the room. Anna was finally alone, which meant she was free to take in the view from her window… or her balcony as the case may be.

She waited a few minutes just to make sure that Cora wasn't going to change her mind and return, but when she had waited for as long as she could, she strode across her room and threw open the doors to balcony. As the warmth and light of late spring filled her bedroom, she marveled at the beauty of the day. Maybe it had to do with the fact that somewhere close by was her future husband, but the sun felt brighter and warmer than it had in recent memory. It was simply a perfect day.

She moved to the edge of the balcony, resting her elbows on the railing and setting her chin in her hands as she watched a sleek, black, limousine make its way down the long palace drive. Inside was the men from a single province, brought to the palace in a group. The only men not arriving in groups were the two from the islands who would be arriving separately in a car all their own. Anna had been surprised to discover that one of the two from Lofoten actually lived only two miles from the palace. It was strange to think that if she had been someone else, just a commoner, she might have met him.

A frown crossed her face as she thought of Kristoff Bjorgman yet again. There was just something off about him that she couldn't seem to put her finger on and it unnerved her. She reminded herself that she didn't have to keep him around long if they didn't suit. In fact, she could send him home immediately after the ball if she chose to. That fact should have comforted her, but it didn't.

A limousine parked in front of the grand front doors and Anna found herself leaning out over the edge of the balcony, desperate to get her first real look at some of the men she would be spending the next few weeks or months with. A bouncy sort of giddiness flooded her as the door to the limo opened and three men piled out and made their way toward the front entrance.

From the pictures she had memorized, she knew that these three were Albin Francis, Abraham Wilkie and Hans Westergaard, from one of the provinces toward the east. She eagerly took them in, noticing all the things that a headshot couldn't tell her. Of the three, Albin was the tallest, but only marginally. Hans had the best posture, but Abe had broad shoulders what looked to be an easy smile. All three of them were incredibly handsome.

As they made their way into the palace, Anna forced herself not to lean over the edge to watch them walk in. She didn't want to attract attention to herself, and she had gotten a decent first look at her suitors, so she reminded herself that it should be enough to satisfy her.

...and it was, until the next limo pulled up and she went through the process all over again.

Over the course of the afternoon, Anna watched as eight different groups of men were deposited at the entrance to the palace, none of them noticing her up on her balcony. She took note of the men who seemed nervous, those who strode up to the doors as though they belonged there, and even those who appeared indifferent. She was sure that by the time the ball rolled around in a few days, they would all be moderately comfortable, so she was thankful for this opportunity to watch them unnoticed. She knew that Elsa wouldn't approve, but she didn't really care. She wasn't directly interacting with them, so she wasn't technically breaking any rules.

Cora had appeared at one point and convinced her to eat, though she hadn't tried to pull Anna away from the window even though she had looked faintly disapproving. She hadn't stayed long though, claiming that with the influx of new guests she was needed down in the tailoring area. Anna had waved her away with a halfhearted smile and returned to watching the men arrive.

A breeze had picked up while Anna was scrutinizing the most recent group of suitors and she found herself shivering. She considered going back into her room for a shawl, but wondered if there would even be anymore arrivals. Since she wasn't sure how long the men had been arriving before she had been made aware of it, it was possible all of the men had passed through the entrance already. There was no reason to stay out in the quickly chilling air if the procession was complete.

She went back and forth on her decision for a few moments, not wanting to miss any new faces but knowing it would continue to get colder as the sun set. While she was busy arguing with herself, another limo pulled up the driveway and made her decision for her. She really didn't want to miss out on seeing anyone if she could help it.

When the limo parked, Anna found herself leaning forward eagerly, just like she had with all the others. Unlike the others, when the single occupant opened his own door and stepped out, Anna gasped in surprise. It was Mr. Lofoten himself, Kristoff Bjorgman in the flesh… and his picture hadn't done him justice at all. While his hair was unfashionably long, just like in his picture, his tall, muscular frame was positively dreamy. She had a feeling he could scoop her up one handed and not even break a sweat. It was a wonder she wasn't swooning on the spot.

She clutched at the marble railing under her hand, needing something solid to keep her steady while she looked him over. He wasn't anything like she had expected, and she wasn't sure what to make of that. Of course, she was just reacting to his broad shoulders. It was possible her first opinion of him and his scowl was right on the mark. She really wouldn't know until she met him on Friday evening. Suddenly that seemed lifetimes away instead of a few short days.

While she was busy staring at his muscular frame, he had hitched a guitar case up over one shoulder and the paused in the act of walking toward the castle. His eyes moved from the entrance up the side of the castle and fastened on her, the first man to have noticed she was there. She was completely mortified that she had been caught staring, and even more so when he grinned and bowed his head in a sign of exaggerated, mocking respect.

Anna stood frozen in shock for several long moments, watching as he sauntered toward the palace entrance and disappeared from view. Her face was flushed, her heart was racing and she was more embarrassed than she had ever been in her life.

She turned on her heel and fled into her room, closing the balcony doors behind her.


	4. Chapter Three: First Impressions

A/N: Hey guys! I know it's been awhile, but I'll try to keep a better update schedule.

"Who's that blonde guy over there?"

"You mean the one built like a tree?"

"Yeah, he's huge!"

"That's Kristoff Bjorgman."

"... isn't he the one from here on the island? Do you think he's met the Princess already?"

"Nah, I hear he spends most of his time taking tourists up the mountain. He's one of those rock-climbing guides."

"Really? That's crazy! Those mountains don't look like they can be scaled. They jut straight up out of the fjord!"

"I heard he's also a fisherman during the fishing season."

"I can see why he'd put his name in for the Selection. Getting his name out there will only bring him more business…"

Kristoff gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the whispers that were surrounding him. He had heard three different versions of the same conversation already, and he was getting tired of hearing his name repeated over and over by complete strangers. It was the worst part of being at the palace so far, even worse than being shoved into clothing made from fabrics he had never heard of. How could they expect him to do anything in a cashmere sweater?

For the dozenth time that day he was wondering what in the hell he was doing at the palace. Apparently he wasn't the only one, judging by the whispered conversations that had been following him since his arrival. He was a fisherman, a mountain guide… he was pretty sure that being a suitor for Princess Anna had never been in the cards for him. It was just a crazy set of circumstances that had led him here, and there wasn't much he could do but follow his instincts and hope he found what he was looking for.

He sighed and slumped down onto the sofa he was sitting on with several of the other Selected. They had been told to wait for everyone to be finished with the initial makeovers before they could go into the dining room for dinner, so he was stuck sitting in a room full of other men who couldn't help but gossip like a bunch of old women. It was ridiculous, and he wanted no part of it.

"Hey… who's that guy over there?"

Kristoff fought back a groan. If the others were going to talk about him again, they could at least keep their voices down.

"That's Hans Westergaard. I heard he's a Duke somewhere."

Kristoff let out a sigh of relief that he was no longer the current topic of conversation.

"Really? You think that gives him an edge over the rest of us?"

"I don't know, but he obviously thinks highly of himself. I heard he brought twenty pieces of luggage with him, and five of those just contained shoes."

A spatter of choked laughter followed that bit of gossip.

"What kind of man owns that many shoes?"

"I heard that Bjorgman fellow only brought one suitcase! Do you think he plans on staying long?"

That was it, Kristoff couldn't take it anymore. He didn't care that they were all supposed to stay in the sitting room until it was time for dinner, he just couldn't listen to another word that was being said about him.

He stood up and stalked out of the room, an uncomfortable prickling feeling surrounding him as the room fell silent at his departure. What he hadn't been expecting was to be followed by the man who had been sitting beside him on the sofa.

"Can I help you?" Kristoff asked tersely. After so many hours of being whispered about, he really wasn't much in the mood for company. Especially the kind that would take whatever he said back to the others and use it as more fodder for gossip.

"Actually, I was waiting for someone else to walk out so I didn't look like an idiot," the other man said with a wide grin. "I can't stand listening to people prattle on like that. When you left it gave me an excuse to leave too."

Kristoff's mouth fell open in surprise. That hadn't been what he was expecting at all. "Really?"

"Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't say something," the man said amicably, falling into step beside Kristoff as they walked away from the sitting room. "If it had been me they were all talking about, I would have _given_ them something to whisper about."

"Oh?" Kristoff asked.

"I would have popped one in the nose," the man said with a casual shrug and a mischievous glint in his eyes that told Kristoff very clearly he would have done just that.

"What about the rule that we aren't allowed to harm another member of the Selected?" Kristoff asked. Somehow he found himself getting dragged into a conversation with the stranger against his better judgement and he wasn't quite sure how it had happened.

The man waved that concern away like it wasn't of any importance. "That doesn't mean anything to me. I'm only here because of a bet."

"Really?"

"Really," the man admitted with yet another grin. It seemed to be his default facial expression.

"What was the bet?" Kristoff was curious and more than a little relieved. Apparently he wasn't the only one who wasn't here to win the hand of the Princess.

"Just that I wouldn't put my name in," he said. "They figured I would never be happy cooped up in the palace for long. They actually followed me to the post box to make sure I followed through. I never for a moment thought my name would get pulled. If I had, I probably would have made my friends ante up a lot more on their end of the bet."

"What were the terms?"

"Well, if I put my name in, they had to pay my tab at the pub for a whole week. If I didn't put my name in, I had to run starkers through our village during the first snowfall." He shrugged like either way wasn't a big deal. "I would have ditched my clothing then and there, but the guys were so sure I wouldn't do it. I couldn't let them win another bet."

Kristoff raised an eyebrow. " _Another_ bet? Do you lose a lot then?"

The man laughed, a rich hearty sound. "Always! I have the absolute worst luck…" He paused and gave Kristoff an appraising glance. "I'm Brian O'Connell by the way, and of course I know who you are."

Kristoff grimaced, which made Brian laugh again, but he stuck out his hand to shake anyway. "Well, at least you weren't gossiping about me. I respect that."

They reached the end of the hallway and both of them sighed. "I guess we had probably better head back or we'll be late for dinner," Brian said, gesturing back down the hall the way they had come.

"We probably don't have any other choices," Kristoff agreed, albeit halfheartedly. "I sure hope the food is worth it."

"It's the palace, mate," Brian said, slinging an arm around Kristoff's shoulders. "They have the best cooks in the world here."

They kept up a constant stream of conversation on the way back, a fact that confused Kristoff. He hadn't come here to make friends, hadn't even really thought about the other men involved in the Selection. Getting close to someone might ruin what he was trying to do here, but even knowing that he couldn't brush off Brian. There was something so genuine about him, so likeable even as he made jokes at his own expense. He half hoped that the Princess would have the good sense to keep him around. Brian would do wonders for someone as repressed as she surely must be.

"I brought my guitar with me as well! Maybe we can find time to play together," Brian beamed at him. "I didn't think there would be another musician here."

"I'm sure there are a few," Kristoff argued. "At least one is bound to play piano. Especially the men from the noble families. They get trained in all kinds of arts, I'm sure."

"We certainly are trained in manners," one of the men said when they entered the sitting room again, obviously having overheard the last bit of their conversation. "When someone of importance asks you to wait, we don't deliberately disobey the command."

"Yes well, apparently you don't have that much in the way of manners," Brian quipped. "At least those of us in the lower class know better than to eavesdrop on a private conversation."

The other man, the one who had spoken when they entered the room, stood up and got in Brian's face. "Excuse me, I must not have heard you correctly. What did you say to me?"

"I said you're rude. With all your fancy lessons and high born status, you still manage to be an eavesdropping little twit. That's a lot worse than leaving a room to get some air or stretch your legs, wouldn't you say, Kristoff?"

He really didn't want to be dragged into a cock fight, but something about the aggressive auburn haired man was making Kristoff uncomfortable. Listening in on conversations was one thing, but commenting on them was entirely different.

"I think you should back down," Kristoff suggested to the shorter man. "Brian here has nothing to lose."

The man's green eyes darted back and forth between Kristoff and Brian. His lip curled in a sneer, but before he could respond, the secondary door to the sitting room was opened and a woman they had been informed was the Queen's personal assistant stepped inside.

"Gentlemen, if you'll come right this way we have dinner ready for you."

The man turned on his heel and stalked away from them, leaving Kristoff to breathe a sigh of relief. He knew Brian had nothing to lose by punching the nobleman in the face, but he was just starting to like having him around. It really would have been a shame to lose the only person he could stand here at the palace.


	5. Chapter Four: The Ball

**A/N:** Hey guys! I'm sorry it's been so long since I've updated, but I have a nice long chapter to make up for it! I'm really hoping that I have some momentum now that will carry me through the end of the fic. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Anna was going to come face to face with her future husband tonight.

The thought rolled around in her mind as she looked in the mirror, watching Cora put the finishing touches on the complicated hairstyle she had spent hours getting just right. As this was considered a state function, she was required to look a certain way. The intricate braids forming a base for her tiara, the official royal sash of Swendway that was wrapped across her chest, these were things she had no choice in. The most she was able to do was choose the color of her dress, which happened to be the exact shade of her eyes. Somehow even these restrictions couldn't dim the excitement she felt over the whole affair.

In the next few hours she would meet dozens of men, all of whom wanted to be her husband. She would dance more than she had ever danced in her life. She would have real conversations with people from outside the palace. It was all she had ever dreamed of, and she couldn't wait to get down to the ballroom and begin the celebrations. It was her birthday after all.

"Oh, Anna," Cora whispered, her voice filled with awe. "You look magnificent."

"You really think so?" Anna asked nervously, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet as she studied the girl in the mirror.

She tried to look at herself objectively now that the ensemble was complete. The tiara rested nicely on her head, adding just the right touch to the perfectly styled hair without trying to overwhelm it, while the sash gave the entire outfit an air of regality. It looked magnificent, just as Cora had said, though she worried the sash might be a little too much. She didn't want to come across as untouchable.

"Are you sure it isn't too formal?" Anna pressed. "I don't want them to think I'm stuck up."

Cora put a hand on Anna's shoulder and squeezed gently. "Just be yourself and if anyone thinks of you that way, they won't for long."

She breathed a happy sigh and pulled her friend into her arms. "All right, enough fussing over me. You have a dress to get into yourself. I expect to see you down in that ballroom before too long."

"Yes, your highness," Cora said with a deep curtsy, the way she always responded when Anna got bossy. Both women dissolved into giggles, and Anna shooed her out the door.

"Go on then, get yourself ready, you silly thing. And you better look as much like a princess as I do," Anna called, hoping that she really would see her friend down in the ballroom. Her maid had a habit of not showing up when a lot of people were around as she wasn't comfortable with large crowds. Anna had begged her to go this time, knowing that she needed another trusted opinion of the men who were her suitors. As much as she loved her sister, she knew that Elsa would see all of this a little too politically. It wasn't a bad thing, she supposed, but for the moment she was looking for compatibility rather than suitability. No one knew her quite as well as Cora, so no one's opinion was more important to her. She needed her at her side.

"Anna? What are you doing standing in the hallway?"

Anna turned toward the sound of her sister's voice and felt a spark of envy run through her. Elsa was, as always, a vision of perfection. She was dressed in a deep blue gown of silk that shone like sapphires. It had a high collar, a flared skirt and a row of diamonds sparkling at the hem. Somehow she managed to pull off the traditional sash, though aloof and regal looked right at home on her.

"I… uh… I was making sure Cora left to get ready. I think she was trying to stall," Anna admitted. "You know how strange she gets when we ask her to attend royal functions."

Elsa inclined her head in understanding, and then her eyes focused on Anna's outfit. "That color looks beautiful on you," she said with a small smile of approval. "It makes your eyes sparkle."

"Thank you," Anna said modestly, her hands smoothing down the ruffles of her skirt. "You look amazing as always."

Elsa rolled her eyes, blind to her own looks. "My appearance isn't important tonight. You are the guest of honor, the one everyone is here to meet." She looked down at the delicate silver watch on her wrist and gave a tiny nod. "Speaking of which, it's time for us to make our way downstairs to the ball room. You're about to meet your future husband."

"Her Majesty, Queen Elsa Arendelle of Swendway."

"Are you ready for this?" Elsa asked in a whisper, hesitating for a moment before making her entrance.

"I'll be fine," Anna said, though she wasn't really certain she was telling the truth. "I'll be right behind you."

She tossed her an encouraging smile and then gave Anna's hand a quick squeeze before descending down the stairs into the ballroom. Traditionally the Queen would be the final entrant into any royal gathering, but tonight was Anna's birthday and she was the last to be announced.

It felt wrong.

Anna watched her sister make her way down the staircase, her gloved hand trailing lightly along the banister, her head held high. She looked every bit the Queen she was. Anna would be lucky if she didn't trip on the hem of her dress and fall on her face in front of the whole crowd. Not that it had happened before, but she was worried that it (or something like it) would happen at the exact moment she was trying to make a good first impression. It would be just her luck.

"Her royal Highness, Princess Anna Arendelle of Swendway."

Butterflies dancing about her ribs, Anna took a deep breath and began her descent into the ballroom below.

She was so focused on placing her feet on the stairs that she didn't even realize Kai, the head of the household, was waiting at the foot of the stairs to escort her to Elsa's side. It was only when he cleared his throat that she managed to look up and catch sight of the man who had raised her the past few years.

He bowed deeply, a proud smile playing about his lips when he stepped forward and placed her fingers on the crook of his arm. "You look beautiful, princess," he said in hushed tones, so no one else would hear them.

Anna beamed at him. "Did Gerda feel well enough to come tonight?"

He chuckled and patted her hand. "When has she ever missed one of your birthday celebrations? She'd have to be fighting something a good deal more serious than the sniffles to miss this." He gestured discreetly to a corner of the room where his wife was standing, positively glowing with pride as she watched them walk across the ballroom toward Elsa. She was tempted to wave at Gerda, but knew Elsa wouldn't approve, so she smiled in her direction instead and hoped she could tell it was meant for her.

Before she knew it, Kai was bowing to the Queen and depositing Anna at her side. He tossed her a wink and made his way back to Gerda in the corner of the room. Suddenly, without a friend to shield her, Anna was aware of so many eyes staring at her. She looked up at the room and a thrill of panic washed through her. This was _only_ thirty five men? It seemed like twice that many. Could she really choose just one from this crowd?

As nerves shot through her system, Elsa took a step forward and raised her outstretched arms to everyone in the room. "Welcome, members of the Selected. We hope you have enjoyed your stay with us so far this week, and that those of you who remain in the Selection process after tomorrow morning will continue to enjoy your stay with us."

Her words caused a ripple throughout the men gathered. Anna realized that they hadn't known some of them would be returning home as early as tomorrow morning. She felt a surge of pity that she couldn't keep them all for longer. Unfortunately, they only had so much time to devote to this process. She needed to be engaged by Christmas.

"And so," Elsa continued, "we come to the beginning of our celebrations this evening, the royal ball, which will be followed by a feast in the grand dining hall. Now, if the orchestra is ready…"

Anna watched out of the corner of her eye as bows were put to strings and other instruments were brought to lips. Elsa nodded in their direction and the orchestra began to play a sweeping, romantic waltz. The night had officially begun.

Before Anna could awkwardly turn and ask Elsa how this was supposed to go (if she should just walk to the closest guy and ask him to dance, or go alphabetically?), a handsome man with beautiful grey eyes and dark curly hair walked up to her, bowed, and offered his hand.

"Your royal highness, my name is Kenneth Carver. I was the first named pulled in the Selection, and now I've been given the honor of the first to dance with you this evening. Would you care to accompany me onto the floor?"

She was charmed by the sincerity in his voice, and she placed her hand in his. "I would be delighted, Kenneth," she said, and allowed him to pulled her onto the ballroom floor.

His hand was warm where it rested against her hip and clutched her own fingers in a tender grip. Somehow, his smile reflected that warmth and she relaxed in his arms. It wasn't nearly as bad as she had feared it would be.

"So, Kenneth," she began, trying to remember the list of questions she and Cora had come up with the night before, "you're studying medicine, correct? You want to become a physician?"

He nodded. "Yes, it's been a passion of mine since I was a child and my mother passed away. I wanted to be able to save families from having to go through that kind of pain. It's been a very rewarding study so far."

"I'm sorry to hear about your mother," Anna said softly, feeling her heart ache with the memory of the loss of her own parents. "I'm sure she would be proud of you though."

"I certainly hope so," Kenneth said and squeezed her hand. "It was all right, though. I was raised by my grandmother, who is a wonderful woman. She never let my younger brother and I want for anything."

"Oh! You have a younger brother? What's he like?" Anna asked. She wanted to know about the families of the Selected as well as the Selected themselves. It would help her get a better picture of who they were as a whole.

Before she knew it, her time with Kenneth was up. She had gotten a much better feel for him than she would have imagined in only a handful of minutes. He was friendly, warm, honest and open. She genuinely liked him, even if she hadn't felt the spark she was so desperately hoping for. But, he had only been the first of thirty five, it was still possible that another man would connect with her on a deeper level.

Before Kenneth was even two steps away from her, the next man was in front of her offering his hand. "Benedict Ross, your highness," the man said in a nasally voice that grated on her ears. She sighed and let him draw her into his arms, allowing the process to begin all over again.

Elsa regarded the festivities with a careful eye. She hadn't wanted to alarm Anna, but she had received several threats during the past week since the Selected had come to the castle. Since it was impractical to change the events that had been planned, she had ramped up the security for the ball. Still, she couldn't help looking around at the many windows lining the ballroom. It would only take one good shot to break in and wreak havoc. The tension was driving her crazy.

A movement to her left caught her eye and she swung around quickly, her heart racing in her chest. She was surprised to find one of the Selected making his way toward her with a wide smile on his face. She forced herself to calm down when she realized her fingertips were crusted with ice. It wasn't easy to be on her guard with this many innocent people milling around. She would have to be careful that she didn't let her emotions get the best of her when she had no choice but to be around the members of the Selected. It wouldn't do to turn one of them into an ice sculpture.

She forced a smile on her face as the man stepped up to her and gave a deep bow.

"Your majesty, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?" he asked. His voice had a lilt to it, reminiscent of the old country of Ireland. It was so fanciful sounding that it brought a genuine smile to her lips.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you," she told him regretfully, "but I don't dance."

He shrugged, as if it meant no matter to him. "Then would you mind if I kept you company for a few minutes? I'm not scheduled to have my dance with the princess until near the end of the evening, and I'm afraid that being surrounded by a bunch of fussy gents isn't suited to my tastes."

She started to laugh at his description of the other men, but managed to cover it up with a cough. It wouldn't be proper for her to laugh at the expense of Anna's suitors, even if she did agree with his sentiments as a whole. She had noticed the way most of the men preened and slicked back their hair with their hands. It made her grateful that she wasn't trying to choose a husband from the group. This one was different though, and not just because he had approached her when the others had steered clear. He was handsome, but in a wild, roguish way. His hair was as dark as hers was fair and though his eyes were almost black, they were filled with a warm humor that drew her in. She found herself hoping that Anna saw the same thing in his eyes, because he felt evenly matched in good humor with her flighty little sister.

"You may keep me company if you'd like," she finally acquiesced. It would be more entertaining than spending the next several hours worrying about security, that was for certain.

He gave her a cheeky grin and took his place at her side, surveying the ballroom floor. "Your sister certainly has a talent for dancing, doesn't she?" he pointed out as she and her current partner performed a perfectly executed spin.

Elsa beamed with pride. "She always has. She likes to say that she's clumsy, but she has a grace that naturally translates to dancing. It's really too bad she's never had an actual partner before tonight. I'm sure she's enjoying all the dancing, even if not all of the company is to her liking."

"Well, I hope she does like at least a few, or this is going to be a very short process," he teased, tossing a wink in her direction.

This time a laugh did escape her lips and she couldn't stop it. There was something so light hearted about this suitor, something so genuinely free that she couldn't bring herself to scold him. She wasn't good with people, and was even less so with men, but she wasn't offended by his casual flirtatious nature. It was clearly part of him.

"Don't waste all your charm on me," she warned. "I don't have much say in the choice Anna will be making."

He brought a hand to his heart and gave a mocking gasp. "You wound me, your majesty. To think that I could be buttering you up to get an edge in the Selection. It's… why, it's just not true."

Another laugh burst from her chest. "Oh, so you don't want my help in winning Anna's heart?"

He grinned at her, his perfect white teeth gleaming. "I wouldn't say that. It's just not the reason I sought out your company."

"And why _did_ you seek out my company?" she asked him, a smile still lingering on her lips.

His grin faded a bit. "With all due respect, your majesty, it was because you looked like you could do with some friendly conversation."

Her heart thudded painfully against her ribs. This particular suitor wasn't only charming, he was quite perceptive as well. She wasn't sure how to outwardly react to his admission, but deep down she was touched. No one usually cared to notice if she was lonely or in need of company. She was the Ice Queen after all. Most people in the palace just assumed she wanted her privacy. It was yet another thing he had in common with Anna.

"That was very… perceptive of you," she admitted. "Most people assume that I'm not interested in company."

He stared into her eyes, all traces of jovial banter were gone. "Everyone needs a friend every now and again, especially someone like yourself."

She couldn't respond. It was as though her brain had shut down on her the moment someone saw through her carefully composed facade. She could feel the ice crystals forming on her fingertips, reacting to her distress, but she forced herself to remain calm. He wasn't threatening to hurt her, or run and tell her secrets to the world. He was offering friendship and he seemed sincere. So… why was she so terrified at the possibility that someone besides Anna could like her for herself?

"I apologize if I have said anything to distress you," he said softly, "I'll take my leave now."

He bowed deeply, respectfully, and was turning on his heel to walk away when she stopped him. "Wait… I never got your name!"

He tossed a relieved sort of smile over his shoulder. "It's Brian. Brian O'Connell."

And then he was gone.

Anna watched Roger Michaels stalk away from her and she fought the urge to scream. That was one member of the Selected that would be leaving at first light, and good riddance. She grumbled to herself, applying every nasty word she could think of to the pretentious suitor. It really was too bad that as a princess, her vocabulary in that respect was limited.

"I certainly hope that murderous look on your face isn't meant for me."

She jerked her head up and came face to face with one of the most handsome men she had ever seen. It was Hans Westergaard, she remembered his picture clearly, though it didn't do justice to the real thing. His auburn hair was perfectly combed, his suit tailored beautifully to his broad shoulders… and those eyes. She could get lost in such a soft green.

"I apologize," she said quickly, "my last dance didn't go very well."

She hadn't meant to tell any of the men about their competition, but she felt guilty for the disgust and anger he must have seen on her face. It was only right to apologize for it and explain that it wasn't his fault in the slightest.

He dropped into a polite bow. "If I may say so, I'm not disappointed to hear that one of my rivals for your affection has failed to make a good impression on you. Hans Westergaard, your highness, and I do believe this dance is mine?"

And suddenly there it was, the spark she had been waiting half the night to feel. When her fingers disappeared into his grip, a tingle raced through her body and settled into her stomach. It took her almost a minute to find her bearings and remember the questions she had wanted to ask him. She hadn't been expecting to be rendered speechless by a handsome face.

"Uh… um… your application said that you enjoy horse back riding?" It wasn't the most eloquent of questions, but it was better than just staring into his eyes for another few minutes. "Perhaps we could go riding together? There are several trails around the island that have spectacular views."

Perfect rows of sparkling white teeth gleamed at her when he smile. "I would like that very much," he said, his voice silky smooth like velvet. It was a balm on her fraying nerves.

"Do you have any other hobbies?" she asked curiously. She couldn't remember every single detail listed on his application, she was proud enough that she had remembered one or two important things about each member of the Selected. They couldn't really expect more than that with so many of them.

"Fencing, actually," he said. "I've been studying since I was a child. I'm also quite interested in politics."

He was sounding better and better all the time. A husband with a knack for politics would be the answer to their problems. She was tempted to drag him over to Elsa and declare Hans her choice, right then and there. But, luckily, her common sense stopped her. He was just one man in thirty five, and she was only halfway through meeting each of them. It was likely that there would be at least a few others who were just as suited for her as Hans was. It was her duty to take as much time as she could and find exactly the right man… her soulmate as it were. As romantic as it sounded to just choose the first man who made her heart beat a little faster, she knew it wasn't practical. She had to really get to know each of them. It was the right way to do things, and Elsa would want that.

"I think a few of the other men have an interest in fencing as well," she said. "We may have to put together a tournament."

He didn't look thrilled at the idea, but he managed a smile. "I would only enter if the reward was extra time alone with you."

Heat crept across her cheeks. "I'm sure we could arrange that, even if you didn't win."

He looked as though he wanted to respond, but there was a tap on his shoulder and a tall dark haired man stood behind him. "I think you've cut into my time?" he said, his tone polite but a bit nervous, as though he wasn't sure how appropriate this was.

Hans's fingers tightened around hers, his other hand bringing her closer to his body like he was loathe to let her go. It was sweet, but she had a duty to share her time evenly among the members of the Selected.

Anna placed a hand against Hans's chest and pushed him away, though she tried to soften the blow by giving him a tender smile. "I'll call on you next week," she promised.

Thankfully he didn't argue. How could he? Rules were rules and he only had so much time allotted with the Princess before his turn was up. He brought her hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss to her knuckles and then strode away without another word.

"Someone isn't much for sharing, are they?" The dark haired man said thoughtfully. "Not that I blame him."

"I'm sorry that we've lost some time," Anna said apologetically, "but I'd be most appreciative if you could overlook it and start our time fresh?"

To her great relief, the man winked as he pulled her into his arms and swept her into a series of complicated dance moves. "I wouldn't dream of letting how anyone else acts affect our time together."

Her heart jumped in her chest, affected by his wink and the tingle along her legs where they brushed against his. Apparently Hans wasn't the only man leaving her a bit breathless.

"Travis Walsh, right?" She asked him, hoping that she remembered correctly. She had gotten names wrong twice already tonight and had been thoroughly embarrassed.

He smiled, showing her the barest hint of genuine happiness. "Correct, your highness. Does this mean you've been swooning over my picture, waiting desperately to meet me?"

Laughter bubbled from her lips at his words. From most of the men in the room, they would have sounded arrogant and self-assured, but from him they were playful, almost hopeful. Even though he had originally come off as confident, there was such a puppy dog quality to his warm brown eyes that any questions of arrogance went out the window. He was adorable, plain and simple.

After her laughter subsided, she decided to tease him back, adopting a thoughtful expression on her expressive face. "Oh yes, I've been falling asleep with your picture pressed to my chest, tears of longing streaming down my cheeks. All my maid has heard since I pulled your name is 'Travis this' and 'Travis that'. I'm sure she's thoroughly sick of hearing your name by now."

Surprise colored his cheeks a rosy pink for a moment and he dropped his gaze to her shoulder. "You are quite a tease, your highness. I'm not sure what to think of you."

She squeezed his fingers quickly, affectionately. "Don't worry, Travis. I only tease people that I like."

He raised his eyes to hers again, a fierce hopefulness written across his face for all the world to see. He was so open with his emotions, much more than any of the other men she had met yet this evening. It was refreshing and endearing. His slow smile at her words even more so.

Her heart clenched at the thought of sending him home… of sending home any of the men she had connected with this evening.

This whole Selection thing was going to be so much harder than she originally thought.

Laughter and music rang through the ballroom as the ball wound down to its final minutes. The men of the Selected danced with a variety of maids, nobility and for brief moments at a time, the princess herself. It seemed to be a wonderful affair. It was really too bad he wasn't there to enjoy it.

Kristoff Bjorgman leaned against a wall in the corner of the ball room, surveying the dance of color that whirled by him. He hadn't moved from his spot in the last hour, content in his realization that the person he was looking for wasn't in the room. Until he was required to dance with the princess, he really didn't have much else to occupy his time, so he took it all in. If nothing else, he would be able to tell his fourteen year old sister, Sophie, all the details when he was sent back home. She would eat up every word he could give her about the palace and this first ball with all the men and women in their fancy outfits.

He bit back a yawn and turned his attention to the watch on his wrist. He had consulted it almost a dozen times since giving up on his search. He was tempted to just sneak out and head back to his room, but knew that leaving before his dance with the princess wouldn't exactly be considered polite. It wouldn't have mattered to him, but he knew _she_ was here, he could feel it. Just because he hadn't located her in this mess of people didn't mean he was giving up. He had to keep up appearances until he found her, and only then could he be free to leave the palace. It really was too bad she wasn't anywhere to be found.

"You look like you're having fun."

Kristoff didn't even have to turn his head to recognize Brian's voice as his new friend sidled up beside him. "Oh yes, I'm having the time of my life," Kristoff said dryly, fighting back yet another yawn. "You seem to be enjoying yourself, though. I saw you getting cozy with the Queen earlier. That takes some serious guts, man. What did the two of you even talk about?"

Brian grinned and bumped his shoulder against Kristoff's. "Oh you know, a little of this and little of that. She actually has a nice laugh, though I doubt she uses it much. I overheard some of the maids whispering about the Easton family and some of the threats they have been making. It's probably a good thing that I talked to her… no one else seemed like they would."

"You really are a saint," Kristoff said mockingly, but Brian didn't rise to the bait, he just grinned wider.

"I am, aren't I? A friend to all those in need, like you and her majesty over there."

Kristoff was tempted to roll his eyes, but he couldn't. Brian may have been trying to play it off as an act, but he did seem to be the kind of person that took strays under his wing. He wasn't sure what that said about _him_ being linked with the Queen.

"Have you danced with Anna yet?" Brian asked, changing the subject. It was a habit of his.

"No, I'm last on the list. Go figure," Kristoff snorted. "Last name to be pulled in the Selection and last to have the _pleasure_ of her company tonight."

Brian raised an eyebrow. "She might surprise you."

"She's a princess, right? Spoiled, sheltered and doesn't know a thing about the real world? I can't wait to meet her."

Quiet met his words and Kristoff sighed. He hadn't meant to snap at his only friend here, he was just ready for this whole event to be over. He felt claustrophobic with so many people around doing nothing. It was the opposite of his life in every way. He rolled his shoulders in discomfort and pushed away from the wall. "Sorry, Bri, I'm not much for this kind of thing."

"So, why did you sign up for the Selection? It's not a lark like it was for me. You obviously don't have any kind feelings toward the royal family… so what is it? What's so important to make you stay here where you obviously don't want to be?"

Brian was staring at him, waiting for an answer.

"It's… it's complicated," he said lamely. He wasn't sure how much it was safe to tell him. He liked Brian, but he wasn't sure if he trusted him yet and he couldn't afford to get kicked out of the palace before he found what he was looking for. Too much was at stake.

It looked like his friend was going to argue, but Kristoff spotted the princess over his shoulder and she was heading toward them. "Later," he promised and clapped Brian on the shoulder. The look he got in return clearly said that he was going to hold him to it. Kristoff wasn't looking forward to _that_ conversation.

He took a few steps toward the princess and came face to face with her near the refreshment table. He bowed respectfully and then gestured to the table. "Would you care for a drink, your highness?"

The princess glanced briefly at the glasses of wine and champagne on the table and then shook her head. "It probably wouldn't be a very good idea," she admitted, "I'm a little tired and I don't want to get yelled at if I spill that Cabernet on my dress."

Kristoff was surprised. "You're a grown woman. Are you telling me that you are worried about your sister getting after you?"

"Oh no, not Elsa!" The princess said with a laugh. "I'm terrified of the scolding I would get from my maid!"

He couldn't help the hint of a smile that tugged at his lips. "I thought it was supposed to be the other way around."

She stepped closer, laying a hand on his arm in a gesture of friendly familiarity, and then whispered in his ear. "You try telling _her_ that."

Her whispered confession drew a chuckle from him. He could see what Brian meant about being surprised by the princess. She wasn't quite what he had expected.

"Um…" he knew that he should bring up some form of conversation, but he wasn't sure how to deal with a princess. He decided that treating her like a friend might help. "How are you holding up with all of this?"

"What do you mean?" She asked curiously.

"I mean, you have to admit it's a little weird, dating thirty five men at once. I can't imagine how exhausting that would be."

Her eyes softened and her gaze dropped to the floor.

"I'm sorry, your highness. I didn't mean to suggest that you can't handle it. I'm sure that as a member of the royal family you've dealt with stranger things than a Selection," he said quickly, apologizing for the foot in his mouth. He had been trying to be friendly, but had insulted her both her ability to handle the situation and the Selection which he was a part of. It wasn't his finest moment.

"It is weird," she admitted, letting out a sigh. "This is the first time our kingdom has attempted anything like this and I'm trying not to worry that the whole thing will blow up in our faces. I just… I love Swendway and the people living here. I would do anything to protect them from someone else who may not have their best interests at heart."

The simplicity of her words struck him to the core. He had never really considered what the royal family did on a day to day basis, never thought that the people were first and foremost in their thoughts. When she raised her eyes back to his, he saw a fierce protectiveness for her people. It was in the set of her jaw, the intensity of her gaze. He was in awe of all she was doing, all she was giving up, to keep her kingdom safe.

"I respect that choice. It couldn't have been easy," he said quietly.

She blinked at him, and the moment was gone. Her shoulders relaxed, her gaze softened and a smile fell on her lips. "Well, I couldn't let Elsa down. She's my only family and I would do anything for her." She laughed airily, as if the intense moment they had shared was all in his imagination.

"Yeah, family is important," he agreed, "maybe the most important thing in the world."

"I suppose it's time for our dance?" Kristoff asked her, trying to change the conversation and alleviate the awkward moment.

She nodded, seeming relieved to move on from their somewhat intense conversation. "When you didn't seek me out after the last dance ended I figured I had better come and find you." Her voice held a note of teasing in it, but perhaps a bit of it was directed toward herself. No one else had probably kept her waiting, so eager were they to have her attention.

"Well, you tracked me down," he said, "so may I have this dance?"

"How could I turn down such a _gracious_ offer?"

Her eyes fluttered and she stepped into his arms, though he knew she was giving him a hard time about his less than enthusiastic request. It was the moment he had been dreading all week, and not just because he had no romantic interest in the princess. He also had two left feet… both of them pure lead. They danced in relative silence for a few moments as Kristoff focused on the steps, trying not to mangle the princess's delicate feet. He was doing okay, had managed to move his foot out of the way rather than step on her pretty shoes several times, but it wasn't making him a thrilling conversationalist.

She cleared her throat. "So… you live on the island."

Was that supposed to be a question?

"All my life," he answered shortly, his focus still on the dance steps.

"And you are a fisherman and mountain climbing guide?"

"Yes."

"I enjoy fishing myself," she said.

"It's peaceful."

He heard her let out a little sigh and saw her foot stamp in what he assumed was frustration. He looked up from the floor into her eyes and found himself stunned by the perfect turquoise color of the fjord. His momentary lapse caused a misstep and he felt her foot fall beneath his own.

"I'm sorry!" he cried out, cringing away from the look of pain on her face.

"No," she said quickly, taking in a deep breath, "it's okay. You aren't the first to step on my feet tonight."

"Really?"

Understanding filled her eyes and she laid her hand on his arm, like she had done by the refreshment table. "You were focusing on the dance steps, weren't you? I was wondering why you suddenly got so quiet."

What could he say? He nodded in agreement. "Sorry, your highness, but I'm not very good at dancing."

She gave him a soft smile and slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. "Why don't you escort me to dinner instead? I've never been mountain climbing and I'm interested to hear all about it."

Relief swept through him, but more than that, curiosity about the way she handled things. Once again he found himself thinking that she wasn't what he expected at all. "I could do that."

"Great, now let's go… I'm starving," she admitted. Kristoff found himself smiling again.

They had only made it a few steps across the ballroom when a pretty blonde girl in a pale pink dress rushed up to the princess, putting her hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad I caught you, Anna," the girl breathed, "Her Majesty was hoping the two of you could walk into the dining hall together. She asked me to come and fetch you." She turned to face Kristoff, her hands raised apologetically, but she froze when she realized who her lady was with.

The princess for her part didn't seem to notice what passed between the two of them, she just shrugged her shoulders and gave her escort a parting smile. "Another time then, Kristoff. I hope you enjoy your meal. Come on, Cora, let's not keep Elsa waiting."

The two women disappeared into the crowd, but not before the blonde maid gave Kristoff a pointed look over her shoulder and shook her head as though begging him not to follow.

 _Cora._

He had found her after all.


	6. Answers

A/N: Hey guys! I've had a few messages about possible updates to this story so I decided to give in and admit something really hard: back in February I had a falling out with the Frozen fandom (long story) and for my mental health I needed to move on. I won't be making any updates to this fic. But there is a but! I actually have a massive 20k word outline that details the entire story from beginning to end and I figured that you guys deserve to know what was going to happen... so here it is! If you are interesting in reading the outline from after the Ball until the epilogue, here it is. Sorry I can't give you more.

 **Chapter Four:**

Anna finally pulls herself around to waking up around noon the morning after her birthday ball. She thanks Cora for the cup of hot chocolate, throws on a sundress, grabs all of the Selected applications, and drags Cora to Elsa's study. Cora tries to object, but Anna says that she trusts her judgement and she knows that she danced with at least a handful of the men. The three girls (plus Elsa's personal servants Kai and Gerda) sit on the floor and spread out all of the pictures so they can start making notes on the various suitors. Elsa grabs a binder (always the studious one) and starts making notes for each man as they are tossed out. Anna complains that Roger was a little too handsy and the fact that he kept trying to make a wager with her just made her uncomfortable. Elsa adds that he was incredibly rude to her as well. Anna turns his picture over, to mark that he will be gotten rid of. Cora points out that Benedict asked her to dance, but after discovering she was one of the maids, he held her out at arm's length, barely touching her and fleeing as quickly as the song was over. Anna turns his picture over, knowing that someone who has such distaste for servants isn't what she wants. Anna points to Heinrich's picture and asks if he was rude to anyone else. Elsa admits that he wouldn't stop talking about how important his family was and how appreciative they should be that he ever considered taking Anna as a wife. His picture is flipped as well. Maxwell whined about the quality of the food being served as well as the coffee. His picture is flipped. Nico talked constantly about himself and his travels and studies, which Anna found incredibly boring. She knows that she could never be happy listening to him drone on and on. His picture is flipped as well. Darren came off as rude (he didn't bow to either Anna or Elsa), Colton spoke in a dry tone about obscure trivia and Timothy was utterly forgettable. In the end they decide as a group that these eight men just aren't suited for Anna at all and she decides to tell them after breakfast. (Anna's POV)

Anna is nervous as she looks out at the table of men during their first breakfast together. She tries to take note of who has table manners and who doesn't, but she feels overwhelmed by how many of them there are and decides that getting to know them on an individual basis from here on out is probably for the best. When everyone is finished eating, she stands up (several of the men quickly stand as well in a sign of respect) and asks if the eight men she is sending home will stay behind for a word with her. Roger, Heinrich and Darren all look smug while the other five look confused. Hans winks at her on his way out and she feels a flutter run through her stomach. When the room is emptied of everyone else, she informs the eight men that as much as she would love for everyone to continue, she didn't feel any kind of spark with any of them and feels that they won't suit, no matter how much time is given. Heinrich and Roger look furious, but none of the eight make a scene, they just bow their heads to her and file out of the room. Once she is alone, she slumps into her chair and lets out a loud sigh. She isn't quite sure how she is going to continue on with the 27 men she has left. (Anna's POV)

That night at dinner Anna announces the first challenge of the Selection. The next morning bright and early there is going to be a fishing tournament. Whoever can catch the biggest fish will win the first one on one date with her. The guys all seem extremely enthusiastic about it and she urges them to get to bed early so they can wake up at prime fishing time. (Anna's POV)

 **Chapter Five:**

(add in fishing tournament and date with Albin)

 **Chapter Six:**

The day after her "winning date" with Albin, Anna decides to start being proactive and go on dates with each of her suitors. Even though Hans made the biggest impression on her, she decides to go on a date with Brian first because he seems like he is fun to be around and she needs a lift after seeing so many disappointed faces. She walks by the music room, which is the current gathering place for the Selected, and asks if she can speak to Brian for a moment. She steps out and rolls her eyes at the hoots and hollers of the other guys, but when Brian appears she can't help but smile. She clasps her hands in front of her and asks if he would like to accompany her in the courtyard out front after lunch. He asks if he can know what they will be doing, but she shakes her head and tells him that it's a surprise. (Anna's POV)

Anna and Elsa are out in the courtyard, Elsa getting information on exactly what Anna wants for her date. Anna says that she just wants an ice rink with a little privacy so she can get to know Brian one on one, though it might be fun to drag all the guys out to skate afterward. Elsa asks if Brian happened to bring ice skates with him and Anna produces a pair of his shoes that she begged from his maids. Elsa uses a bit of her magic to make them into skates and then shoos Anna away so she can make a rink fit for a princess. When Anna leaves, Elsa starts creating a winter wonderland, but she doesn't realize that she is being watched by one of the Selected. Albin steps forward to compliment her and Elsa turns with wide eyes, hands clasped tight to her chest. He realizes that he spooked her and tries to apologize, but she is really embarrassed and he heads back inside, leaving her unsure of what just happened. She tries to focus on the task at hand, but his compliment keeps running through her mind. She wonders if it's really possible that someone other than Anna could see her magic as something beautiful and not something dangerous or frightening. **("I didn't mean to scare you. I just think you're interesting"** **)** (Elsa's POV)

Brian and Anna's skating date. Only after they get out onto the ice does Anna remember that she is a terrible skater, and has to lean on Brian a lot. He pulls her around with him, laughing at the little shrieks she makes. She ends up falling and pulling him into a small snowbank that Elsa made to the side of the courtyard. They have a short snowball fight before making a snowman together. He walks her to her room afterward so she can get changed for dinner, and he kisses her hand in farewell. She's disappointed that even though they had fun, she still didn't feel a spark for him. She decides to keep trying though, because he makes her laugh and she hopes that maybe the spark will come eventually. (Anna's POV)

 **Chapter Seven:**

After her fun date with Brian, Anna decides to ask one of the more reserved guys to go on a horseback ride with her in the forest. She takes a look through the applications and remembers that Erik likes photography as well, and she thinks that he is perfect for this date. After breakfast the morning after her date with Brian, she pulls Erik aside and asks if he is free to join her for a horseback ride into the forest. She suggests he bring his camera because there is a spectacular view of the fjord from an outcropping of rock deep in the forest. He agrees to meet her at the stables in an hour. (Anna's POV)

When Erik meets Anna at the stables, she is surprised to feel a hint of menace coming from him. She shakes away the thought, thinking that it was probably just the fact that he is so large and intimidating looking and not any actual instinctual warning. She decides to forgo the horses (since there isn't one that will suit Erik's size) and they decide to go for a walk instead. Anna tries to lead them toward the outcropping she had mentioned, but he pulls her deeper into the forest instead and Anna's worry begins to intensify. Before she realizes what is happening, he digs his fingers into her shoulder and forces her up against a tree. She manages to get a good loud scream out before he puts a hand over her mouth to shut her up. He looks around to see if anyone heard her and she bites his palm and slips away from him, screaming as loud as she can as she stumbles her way back to the palace. Hans shows up on a horse, claiming to have heard her screaming when he had saddled up for a ride. He pulls her onto his horse and asks what happened, so she tells him about Erik trying to attack her. Hans looks furious and vows to come looking for him after he gets her safely back to the castle. When he comes back later, he tells Anna that Erik is gone and he won't be coming back. She throws herself into his arms and lets him cuddle her against his chest. His lips brush her forehead and she feels a warmth run through her. She asks him if he would have dinner with her in her room that evening, since she doesn't really want to look at anyone else and wonder if they could have hurt her as well. He agrees to join her that evening after she has cleaned herself up and taken a well needed rest. She kisses his cheek and thanks him for his help. (Anna's POV)

Hans heads back to the woods where he hands a waiting Erik an envelope. When Erik asks what it is, Hans tells him that it's a list of directions to his home. If he gives the second piece of paper to the butler, he will be compensated for his help. Erik seems unsure, but Hans hands him a small bag of gold coins as well, and tells him that there is much more where that came from. Erik reminds him that Anna could still tell Elsa and have him arrested, but Hans waves that worry away and tells him that he is spending the evening with Anna and will make sure she doesn't tell anyone. He thanks Erik and tells him that there should be a car waiting for him down in the marketplace so he doesn't have to go back to the palace. He walks away from Erik and thinks gleefully about how his plan to win Anna's hand is already well underway. (Hans POV)

That evening Anna and Hans meet in her sitting room to enjoy a private meal together. She thanks him again for rescuing her from Erik and taking care of the problem. He takes her hand and looks directly into her eyes, making her a promise that if it's his choice, he will never let her get hurt again. She is so touched that she leans in and lets him pull her into her very first kiss. She's disappointed because she expected fireworks and there was only a gentle pressure of lips. She leans her head against his shoulder so she doesn't have to look into his eyes and thanks him for an uncomplicated evening together. She wonders aloud if she should tell Elsa about Erik and Hans reminds her that he is gone, so it really doesn't matter. She decides to agree with him, knowing that an angry Elsa isn't exactly what Swendway needs publicity wise. He kisses her again before leaving and Anna ends up leaning against the door and wondering if she is hoping for too much with her grand romantic heart. She also wonders why people are so fond of kissing when it's ultimately so disappointing. (Anna's POV)

 **Chapter Eight:**

Needing a quiet date, Anna invites Travis out to the garden to paint with her. She admits to him that she isn't very good, but she enjoys the peacefulness and repetition of it. He shyly suggests that he could give her lessons if she wants. She is touched by his sweetness and how genuine he is. They enjoy a quiet afternoon together, though Anna does dab his nose with paint and he retaliates. She likes that when prompted, he can show a fun side. She feels a softness for him, though she isn't sure if it's affection or friendship. She kisses his cheek before leaving to go back inside and asks if she can hang both of their paintings in her room as a way to remember the date. He seems thrilled at the prospect and agrees. (Anna's POV)

Before Anna has a chance to schedule another date, a local magazine comes by to do a piece on the Selection and the men involved. They have Anna pose with each of them to see how she looks with them, and they do mini-interviews with each of the men. Anna is surprised to discover that Kristoff, Hans, Andrew, Travis and Brian look the best beside her. She's especially surprised about Kristoff, whom she hadn't given much thought to after the ball. It makes her decide to ask him on a date next so she can get to know him a bit better. (Anna's POV)

The night of the interviews, Anna has her first report after the Selection has begun. She talks about the welcome ball and meeting all the different men, narrowing it down based on five minutes with each man. The interviewer asks her about the magazine interview that morning and if there were any surprises connected with it. Anna admits that she hadn't expected it to take all day, and she was sure some of the men were going to revolt and ask to leave. The interviewer and several of the guys laugh at that. Anna talks about the fact that she has been on a handful of dates, and she is planning to go on more. The interviewer brings up Brian, Travis, and Hans to interview about their dates with Anna. Brian makes everyone laugh, Hans makes it seem romantic and Travis is reserved, but obviously just as fond of Anna as she is of him. Anna closes with the promise that she will have camera crews film bits of her dates from now on so that the people of Swendway can join in on the fun. After the report is over, Anna stops Kristoff and asks if he would like to join her for a horseback ride in the palace gardens the next morning after breakfast. He seems surprised, but he agrees. (Anna's POV)

Kristoff meets her at the stables the next morning, unsure of what to expect from their time together. Anna sets him up with Sven, a chestnut colored Norman Cobb. Kristoff instantly befriends the horse (who had been attained strictly for the Selection and the influx of men in the palace), and Anna is touched by the easy way Sven takes to him. They take a slow ride around the gardens, asking each other questions (what it was like growing up, what they would do if they could be anyone, etc) and getting to know each other. Anna is surprised to know what it's like for people in the north, and she asks him if he might be interested in taking her there sometime. He seems shocked by her question, but he says that he could take her ice fishing in his family's ice house. Anna can't help but smile at the thought. When they go back, Kristoff bows his head and gives her a gruff goodbye. She realizes that he is the first date to not even kiss her hand. It makes her wonder why the thought of him continually makes her smile. (Anna's POV)

 **Chapter Nine:**

Elsa is heading into her study and bumps into Albin who is passing by, all the papers she is carrying fly everywhere. He insists on helping her clean up and they bonk heads. Elsa scoops them all up and heads back into her study, he follows and whistles at the mess he sees. She tells him that for some reason she can't find anything anymore and it used to be clean. He tells her that he has interned in an office and he is willing to help her organize if she wants the help. She is suspicious that he is using her to get closer to Anna, but he promises that he just wants to help, especially since part of the mess is his fault. She's hesitant, but she agrees. They spend hours together getting things sorted, talking about various things and he kisses her hand before he leaves, leaving her speechless and just a little confused. (Elsa's POV)

Anna greets Albin as he is leaving and flies into Elsa's study. Elsa suggests that maybe she should head to their vacation cottage during the Selection and let Anna have the run of the palace to herself. Anna sits them both on the sofa and asks if something happened, if one of the men offended or hurt her. Elsa tells her that she just wants Anna to have her best chance without interference. Anna tells her that she can't do this on her own, she needs Elsa's cool strength to help her make the decision. She points out that if it hadn't been for Elsa, she would have just chosen Hans right off the bat and never would have gotten to know the others. She says that she trusts Elsa to give her good advice. Elsa feels insanely guilty, even though nothing happened between her and Albin, but she agrees to stay for Anna's sake. Anna is relieved and Elsa asks why she came by. Anna asks if she can use the yacht that evening to have a picnic dinner on the lake with Andrew. Elsa agrees, but tells her that she needs to bring a guard who can pilot the yacht just in case. Anna rolls her eyes but agrees. (Elsa's POV)

Anna and Andrew are on the yacht, Andrew trying to toss grapes into Anna's mouth but not taking into account Anna's clumsiness. They laugh together and he makes a quip about tossing the guard overboard and taking the yacht around the world, just the two of them. Anna says that it sounds like fun, but she does have responsibilities here. Andrew pouts and they both laugh. He starts telling her about all of his adventures and she listens with fascination and longing. (Anna's POV)

The next bit is all about Anna rushing through dates with as many of the Selected as possible. She thinks about movies, walks, private meals, etc. and how she isn't sure about any of them, but knows she needs to narrow it down further so she can focus on the men she actually has a connection with. She leaves messages with the servants in the Men's Room to have Stephen, Cyrille, Daniel, Cliff and Allen meet her in the royal sitting room. When they gather, she tells them that she's sorry, but they are going to be sent home. Stephen throws a fit, calling her names and telling her she will regret sending him away because he's important and powerful. He has to be restrained, but all of the others leave without too much of a fuss. There are twenty one men left, most of whom she is excited to get to know better. (Anna's POV)

 **Chapter Ten:**

Anna is hosting another weekend report and the interviewer asks if she is missing her free time now that she has twenty guys to occupy her. Anna laughs and starts outlining a few of her dates, talking about the large number of guys that have left since the last report (five in a group and one by himself). She mentions that one of them (Cornell) cornered her to ask her on a date instead of the other way around. She says that it was cute, but she just didn't feel a spark with him and had to send him home. The interviewer asks what the date was and she says they had dinner and played chess. The interviewer suggests that maybe she's just too enthusiastic to have fun doing something so mundane. Anna argues that chess can be fun with the right partner, but he wasn't. She does say that she is sure he's still in the mix though and points out that even Elsa has been seen interacting with a few of the men and she's sure they will have a strong family dynamic. She can't help but smile at Albin, the suitor her sister seems particularly fond on and think about fun dates she could plan for the two of them. If Elsa likes him, she wants to give him more of a chance. (Anna's POV)

Albin arrives at Elsa's study to bring back a book he borrowed from her. He notices that she is working on something and asks about it. She doesn't know why, but she explains the current treaty she is worrying over and he ends up dragging a chair over and spending an interesting afternoon going over pros and cons of renewing her treaty with New Asia, and Elsa asks how he liked the book he borrowed. He says he really enjoyed it and she suggests another. Before he leaves, he thanks her and bows respectfully. She is caught off guard by his sudden departure and feels let down that now she has to do her work alone. She tries to convince herself that she wants Anna to fall for him so that she will have a friend around the castle, though she isn't sure if that's really the truth. He also casually mentions that Anna has invited him to go fishing on the yacht with her that evening. Elsa isn't sure how to feel about that. (Elsa's POV)

Kristoff has a difficult time sleeping now that he is in the palace, so he tends to wander at night. Anna catches him walking around the gardens and goes out to see what he's doing out there. They end up having a long talk about the stars and how they look exactly like they did back home. He points out a few of his favorite constellations and his mother's favorites. Anna is fascinated by the fact that the stars seem to be his link to home. Kristoff ends up heading back to bed with thoughts of the Princess in his head. He falls asleep thinking about her. (Kristoff's POV)

 **Chapter Eleven:**

Anna decides to have a movie night with the guys as a group. She lets them choose the movie (they pick an action flick) and she has the kitchens make popcorn and nachos for munching on. Hans immediately sits on one side of Anna while Brian (noticing her discomfort) takes the other. He slings his arm over her shoulder and makes jokes about the movie throughout the time they are there, helping her to ignore her growing uneasiness with Hans. When they leave after the movie is over, Hans corners her and kisses her, telling her that he has been thinking about doing that since they last time they were together. She tries to seem eager for his attentions, but she is incredibly thankful when Travis pipes up reminding her that they are due to have a private dinner that evening. It's not true, but she is grateful to all of the guys who have bonded together to protect her from Hans's uncomfortable advances. (Anna's POV)

The next morning Anna is in the music room trying to get her thoughts together (the guys have all gone outside to play hockey together after Elsa froze the lake for them). Hans comes up behind her and plays a short piece, his front plastered against her back. When Anna asks why he isn't with the other guys, he tells her that he used the opportunity to have her all to himself. She asks if he enjoyed the movie the night before (trying to keep the situation from getting too intimate) and he says that he would have prefered it if it had just been the two of them. He kisses her cheek and asks if she has had lunch, which she hasn't. Instead of being alone with him for much longer, she invites him to have lunch with her in the kitchens. He seems disappointed, but agrees. Anna is realizing that she doesn't want to keep him around much longer, but at the same time feels anxiety about making him leave. (Anna's POV)

That evening, Anna rushes out to the gardens when she notices that Kristoff is taking an evening stroll again. He welcomes her presence and offers his arm, but she takes his hand instead, needing to feel comfort after her uneasy luncheon with Hans. He is surprised, but not entirely unhappy with the change in their dynamic and pulls her close against his side on the pretense that it's cool that evening and he doesn't want her to catch a chill. While he is busy getting caught up in the way her hands move while she speaks, a man appears out of the forest and tries to attack Anna and incapacitate Kristoff. Kristoff easily fights him off, and Anna screams for the guards. When they arrive, they take the man into custody, but not before he can try to attack Anna again. He's screaming slurs at her, screeching that she and her witch of a sister should die and the Easton's should be put in charge. This is the first time that more than just threats have been leveled their way. Kristoff demands that they get him out of there, Anna starts crying and worrying about Elsa's safety, and then she almost collapses onto the ground, but Kristoff catches her and swings her into his arms, carrying her to a nearby bench. Once they sit down, he puts his hands to her face to check that she is okay and no harm was done to her. When he realizes she is okay, he is so relieved that he brings her face to his and kisses her hard. Anna wraps her arms around his neck and holds him close, letting herself linger on the sweetness of his kiss. When he realizes what he has done (and the fact that it's improper), he tries to pull away, but Anna locks him against her, begging him to kiss her again. It's softer this time, less frantic and more passionate. She realizes that this is what a kiss is supposed to be, not the possessive blandness that Hans had displayed. When Kristoff takes her back inside, he kisses her goodnight and they holds hands until their fingers brush as he walks away. (Kristoff and Anna's POV)

Hans is watching from the shadows and he snarls at the turn of events. (Hans POV)

 **Chapter Twelve:**

After the distress of the past few days, Anna manages to sneak into the library to have some time to herself. She grabs her favorite book, curls up by the fireplace and gets comfortable, only to find that she isn't alone. Kenneth had been looking through their collection of medical books, only to be interrupted by the Princess. He tries to bow out, but Anna decides to try and get to know him a little better. They end up ordering lunch into the library and talking all afternoon about medicine, and he tries to teach Anna to knit, which she enjoys immensely. She hesitantly leans in to kiss him and he reciprocates enthusiastically. She decides she wants to keep him around for awhile, even if his kiss couldn't quite compare to Kristoff's (though she doesn't know if it was the heightened emotional state of the situation, or the man himself). (Anna's POV)

Elsa and Albin have been growing closer and Elsa is starting to panic because of what it means for Anna and the Selection. She tries to tell him that he should stay away from her, that he doesn't know what he's doing. He takes her hands in his and tells her that he really does get it, that he originally came for Anna but he can't help the pull he feels toward Elsa. She tells him that she can't hurt Anna, that she needs to think about what is happening between them, so she tries to send him away. She is surprised when her frosty hands begin to thaw when he kisses her knuckles in a gesture of farewell. It makes her wonder if her feelings for him are already a little bit farther along than she realizes. (Elsa's POV)

Anna decides that the movie night was such a success that she wants to try something similar again. She and Cora spend a few days pulling it all together (and letting the guys have some time to plan), but she manages to host a talent show for everyone in the palace to have some fun and get to know each other and their hobbies better. Hans and a few others (Abe, Blake, Kent and Trent) decide not to participate in something so low brow, but the other guys think it could be fun. Kristoff, Brian and Travis actually perform a song together (Travis on the piano, Brian on the guitar and Kristoff on bass), which everyone ends up loving, especially Anna. She can't help but love the three men and the friendship they have formed. Rachid gets up and tells a few of the stories he has collected from various cultures he has visited, Owen paints a picture of Anna's cat Marshmallow, Andrew shows a collection of pictures from his travels, Mikael shows off one of his model airplanes (Anna groans), Albin shows off some of his photography (which includes a picture of Elsa creating the frozen pond for the hockey game), Magnus solves a Rubix Cube in 10 seconds, Kenneth shows off his knitting skills and presents Anna with a gorgeous afghan, Josef shows a jewelry box he made and presents it to Anna, Matteus sings an operatic song, Stewart and Simon show off some wrestling moves together and Gervasio reads them a poem he has been working on. All in all, they have a fun afternoon together and Anna feels that she has gotten a bit of insight into a few of their souls. (Anna's POV)

The boys have a poker night, usually just Kristoff, Brian, Travis and a few others, but Hans decides to join in this week. It whittles down to just Kristoff vs Hans and the others head off to bed. The betting gets intense, when Hans brings up the fact that Kristoff isn't a big shot just because Anna seems to like him, since he was her first kiss. Kristoff ignores the jab and grabs another card. Hans then says that he felt her up and Kristoff answers with "Yeah, well I have a flush!" Hans is annoyed that Kristoff won the game, but he says that he won't win Anna's hand. He suggests to Kristoff that Anna has already suggested that she is going to choose him and the others are no more than a game she has to play out in order to get Elsa's approval. Kristoff doubts that, but he can't help the nagging feeling that Hans is playing a game that he doesn't understand. (Kristoff's POV)

 **Chapter Thirteen:**

When the weekend report comes around again, Anna is asked about whether any of the men in particular have made an impression on her. She can't help but make eye contact with both Kristoff and Kenneth who wowed her in different ways. She admits that one of them saved her life recently. The interviewer asks if they were "rewarded" for their efforts and Anna blushes, making everyone laugh. When the guys are brought up to be interviewed themselves, Hans takes the credit, saying that he protected her against one of the Selected that was sent home. When it's Kristoff's turn, he doesn't bring up his own individual heroism, he just talks about how much he respects all of the servants and how much they do for the royal household. He also mentions that he has never seen any group of servants as well respected as those living under Queen Elsa and Princess Anna's roof. Anna is touched by his words, but also incredibly impressed because he could have been a hero, but instead he praised others. She can't help but fall for him just a little more. (Anna's POV)

Brian takes Kristoff aside after the report and asks why Anna kept glancing over at him and blushing. Kristoff rubs the back of his neck (his nervous tell) and Brian announces that they obviously need a drink. The two of them head down to the kitchen and Brian sweet talks one of the maids into bringing them a bottle of whiskey. Once they are situated in a corner of the kitchen, Brian wheedles the fact that he kissed Anna out of him. Kristoff is distraught and he admits that he made the first move, and what if it was too much too fast? Brian slows him down and asks what happened between them, because the last they talked Kristoff wasn't really in it to win it. Kristoff admits that he wasn't until Anna was almost killed right in front of him, it changed everything to think about actually losing her. Brian laughs and welcomes him to the actual competition. Kristoff grumbles and pours himself another drink. Brian admits that Anna hasn't kissed him yet and he wonders aloud how many of the men have had that luxury other than Hans, who several of them saw kiss her after the movie. Kristoff tells Brian that he wants to apologize to Anna for kissing her without permission, but Brian reminds him that she's had time to send him home and she hasn't, so she's obviously not upset about it. He's not sure it's completely okay, but he agrees to let it go for now. (Kristoff's POV)

Early in the morning before breakfast, Anna heads to the kitchen to get herself a mug of cocoa. She is surprised to find Kristoff in the kitchen, kissing the forehead of her maid Cora while holding Miranda in his arms. She realizes how much Miranda looks like Kristoff and comes to the worst possible conclusion. She rushes out of the kitchen and Kristoff (who noticed the horror on her face) tries to chase her down but the alarms sound and she heads for the nearest panic room. She thinks it's perfect timing, she's going to die just after her heart has been shattered into pieces. (Anna's POV)

Kristoff wants to head off after Anna, but his instinct is to protect her and he doesn't want to lead any of the intruders to her. Instead, he stops a passing guard and asks where he can get a gun. The guard tosses him a pistol that he has attached to his leg and warns him to take care, they don't know what the situation is, just that a group of men were seen sneaking through the gardens toward the palace and this is a safety precaution to protect Elsa and Anna. Kristoff doesn't believe that it's only a safety precaution for a moment, and realizes that by not chasing after Anna he may have sent her off into the darkness alone. He swears, shoves the gun in the waistband of his pants, and heads off in the direction Anna was running. He hopes he isn't too late, and he hopes that she hid in the closest panic room, otherwise he isn't going to be able to find her. He hears a pop and feels a searing pain in his side and falls against the wall, which swings inward. (Kristoff's POV)

 **Chapter Fourteen: (Possibly two chapters)**

Anna is struggling not to panic when her shaky hands aren't able to key in the lock code on the panic room door. When a shoulder leans against it, she screams and falls back into the room, only to realize it's Kristoff. He shuts the door behind him and leans against it, asking her quickly for the lock key. She's trembling with fear, but manages to whispers the combination of numbers needed to lock the door. Once Kristoff puts it in, he leans his head against the door and puts a hand to his side that is screaming in pain. Anna is starting to calm down, knowing that even if she is furious with him, she trusts him to protect her like he did in the garden. She wants to ask him what happened in the kitchen, for him to explain that it wasn't what she thought, but she notices his hand on his side and she puts her hand to her mouth and stifles a scream… he's bleeding. Kristoff looks down and realizes that he was probably shot, he tries to calm Anna down but she is getting hysterical. He asks if there is a first aid kit in the room and Anna snaps out of her hysterics and searches through the shelves along one wall. She tells him that there should be a first aid kit in every panic room, but sometimes the kits are pulled out for fresh supplies and people forget to put them back. Thankfully she finds it and pulls it over to where Kristoff is sitting against the door. She asks if she can see the wound and he breathily teases her about not trusting her medical skills. She tells him that she is an excellent seamstress and she can stitch up a wound as evenly as any doctor. Kristoff reluctantly takes his hand off his side and they both wince at the amount of blood staining his hand and shirt. She tells him to take his shirt off and he gives her a strange look. She reminds him that she saw him kissing her maid this morning, so this has nothing to do with attraction. He sighs and pulls his vest and sweater off with Anna's help. She tries not to look over his beautiful chest and focus on his wound. While she works, he asks her if he can explain the situation. Anna feels her heart skip a beat at the pain of seeing him with Cora, but she tries to keep her voice calm while she tells him that if he thinks it will help, he can tell her whatever he wants. She's having trouble seeing his wound clearly so she makes him get up and move over to the small bed in the corner, and when he does, she sees the scars on his back and she gasps. She reaches out a hand to touch him and he winces away. She asks what happened to him and he tells her that it's part of his explanation. She has him lay down on his side and she promises that she will listen and try not to judge, or interrupt too often. (Anna's POV)

Kristoff tries not to focus on the pain of her cleaning his wound and instead focuses on the pain of his childhood. **(Add Chapter Four in here)**

 **Chapter Four: (Moving to the panic room chapter) (All Kristoff POV)**

 _Kristoff wakes early the next morning, hoping to find Cora before the rest of the palace is awake._ _He sneaks into the family wing and discovers that she is Anna's personal maid. He begs her to explain, so that he can give their mother some peace. She arranges to meet him in the kitchen where she is planning to grab Anna's morning hot chocolate._

 _Kristoff shows up a few minutes later in the kitchen and waits for Cora to arrive. The staff tries to serve him, but he fends them off, feeling uncomfortable being waited on. When she finally arrives, she looks nervous and almost afraid of him. He is surprised when a toddler rushes across the room and throws herself into Cora's skirts. Cora cuddles her close, her eyes filled with panic as she looks at Kristoff. He takes a step toward her, realization crashing down on him. "You have a daughter?" The girl, Miranda, gives Kristoff a strange look and Cora explains to her that he is her uncle._

 _Skip to Kristoff holding her on his lap while Cora explains her disappearance, though by this point Kristoff understands why she had to leave. She says that after David died, she didn't have a choice, she couldn't marry a memory. She explains how she wandered around looking for work and lodging, and ended up begging at the marketplace near the palace. Anna had found her there and brought her back as her guest. Only after the baby had been delivered did either of the girls allow her to work for them. She smiles and says that even though she missed Bulda and her siblings terribly, she didn't want to send a letter home letting them know she was okay. Only then does she ask Kristoff how everyone is, how he managed to be at the palace, etc. Kristoff explains that they searched for her for a long time, but finally their father made them give up looking. When he saw her on the weekend report he knew it was his chance, even slim as it was, to contact her again. Cora asks if he's going to tell their father now, but he just shakes his head and tells her that he died of a heart attack just before Christmas the year before. Cora then asks what he plans to do now, since he is in the Selection. He shrugs and says that now that she knows she can come home he might as well head back himself. Cora begs him to stay, even for a little while, throwing in a teasing smile and saying that he might just fall in love with Anna himself. He kisses the top of Miranda's head and hands her back to Cora and says that he doubts a princess would ever go for a guy like him. Cora says that he obviously doesn't know Anna._

He starts by telling her that Cora is his older sister and his family has been searching for her for years. He explains that when he saw her on a report, he knew he had to do anything in his power to find her, even if it meant signing up for the Selection. Anna asks him if that means he's never really been interested in her and he can hear the tears in her voice, he knows that he hurt her. He tries to turn so he can look into her eyes, but she holds him still. He says that he expected to find Cora, hear about what happened and why she hadn't come home and then head back home to his mother, but something about Anna kept him there. Anna asks why Cora left and Kristoff laughs darkly, reminding her of the scars on his back. Anna is horrified, but she quickly finishes up his stitches. She has him lay down on his stomach so she can put gauze over the wound and he feels her brush her fingers against his back. She asks who did it and Kristoff says that it was his father. Anna asks why he didn't tell her about Cora to begin with, especially after they had grown closer. Kristoff admits that he wanted to, but he didn't want to give her a reason to send him home. Anna is quiet for several long moments, but then he feels a feathery touch against his back and realizes that she is kissing his scars. "Does this mean you forgive me?" he teases her, knowing that his voice isn't as lighthearted as he hopes. "I'm not sure" she responds. She tells him that she understands why he did what he did, but she doesn't know if she can trust him anymore. As she continues kissing every one of his scars, his body starts to react and he can't stop himself from pulling Anna down onto the bed with him and kissing her with all the pent up love and passion he has never given anyone else. He whispers in her ear that he will never give her another chance to doubt him, if she will only give him another chance. She agrees and then begins to touch and kiss every part of him that she can reach, while he does the same. His hands slide up the back of her pajama top, caressing the soft skin there and she presses herself closer into him. Things start moving quickly and they probably would have gotten carried away if not for the sound of the door release unlocking, announcing the end of the lock down. Anna pulls away from him and flushes, Kristoff tries to apologize for taking advantage of the emotional state they were both in, but she kisses him again and begs him not to apologize. She asks him if he regrets what just happened between them and he kisses her hard in answer. (Kristoff's POV)

After leaving the panic room, Anna heads back to her room to change for breakfast, but she is waylaid by Owen. He tells her that as much as he has come to care for her and respect her, he just doesn't think that fondness extends to dealing with this level of terror. Anna understands and she agrees to let him go home. He kisses her hand, apologizes for his cowardice and leaves. She wonders if she should be subjecting any of them to having their lives threatened. (Anna's POV)

Cora is unusually quiet as she is helping Anna ready for dinner that evening. When Anna presses her about it, Cora bursts into tears and apologizes for keeping something so important from her mistress. Anna kneels beside her and pulls Cora into a tight hug. She tells her that she understand why Cora didn't say anything, she wanted to protect Miranda from what was happening in their home. Cora asks if she is going to send Kristoff away because of what happened and Anna blushes, saying that she doesn't think that's necessary. Cora clears her eyes and asks what happened between this morning and now. Anna tells her that they talked it over, but Cora knows her better than that. She starts laughing and helps Anna to her feet. She asks if she might be calling her "sister" soon and Anna flushes even deeper and says that it's possible. In her head she wonders if she might marry him just to keep feeling all of the wonderful emotions he invokes in her body. (Anna's POV)

 **Chapter Fifteen:**

Elsa is searching for Anna and finds her in the wing of the house reserved for their guests. Elsa is shocked to see Albin's door covered in post-it notes. She asks Anna what's going on and Anna turns a brilliant smile on her. She says that after the darkness of the past few days, she wants to do something fun and since she hadn't spent a lot of time with Albin, she thought they could go for a walk in the garden, maybe go fishing in the afternoon. Elsa gestures to the door and asks if it isn't just a bit overboard. Anna's face falls and she starts taking down all the post it's, saying that she will just ask him at breakfast. As she walks away, Elsa wonders if she was acting out of jealousy, or because she really thinks that Albin wouldn't care for an invitation like that. (Elsa's POV)

Later that afternoon, Elsa is standing in her study staring out the window at the garden. She can see Anna and Albin taking their walk and she feels an irrational surge of jealousy that her sister can be seen holding his hand, but she can't. When she feels frost covering the window she takes a step away and is embarrassed that Albin looks up at her at that exact moment. She lets the curtains fall to hide her and walks over to her sofa to try and calm herself. She reminds herself over and over that Albin is here for Anna, not for her and she can't hurt her sister that way. She begins to cry silently, and she wraps her arms around her knees to hold herself together. She's still in that position when Albin knocks on her door half an hour later. When she doesn't answer immediately he steps inside and finds her trying to hold herself together. He moves to her side and wraps his arms around her, apologizing for all of the pain that his being there is causing her. Elsa tells him again what she told him before, that what is happening between them is wrong and someone is going to get hurt. Albin stops her with a kiss. Elsa is surprised as she has never been kissed before, but she can't stop herself from moving in for another one. When she finally manages to pull herself away, she asks him what they are doing together. He pulls her hands to his lips and kisses her palms, letting her know that he is with her, no matter what. His walk with Anna told him plainly enough that though he likes her, Elsa is the one he wants to be with. Elsa hesitantly asks if he kissed Anna and that was what let him know he didn't want Anna once and for all. He stops her before she can hurt them both and tells her that he wanted to, that he tried to force himself to do it, but then he realized that if he had to work that hard, it was wrong. He tells Elsa that it's never work with her, it's always been easy and right. They kiss again and Elsa lays her head against his chest. She doesn't know where they are heading, but she knows that it's ridiculous to pretend that he isn't exactly what she wants out of life. (Elsa's POV)

Anna is getting ready for bed when she hears a knock at her door and goes to answer it. Kristoff is leaning against the doorframe, wet hair in his eyes (having just come from the shower) and an intense look in his eyes. She asks if everything is okay and he pulls her against him for a rough, but thoroughly arousing kiss. When Anna gets her head on straight again, she breathlessly asks what that was for and he gives her a roughish smile and says that so far they had only kissed under extreme circumstances and he needed to see for himself if it would still be as good under normal circumstances. She asks if he got his answer and his response is to put his hand to the back of her neck and kiss her again. He leans his forehead against hers and Anna has to fight the urge to invite him in and ask him to stay with her. She realizes that it's time to narrow it down and get more serious about her choices, especially because she thinks she might be falling in love with Kristoff and she wants to get to know a few others on a more intimate level so she can be sure that she does in fact like him best, and isn't basing everything on the fact that they have been thrown together in several life threatening situations. She bids him goodbye and lays down on her bed, wishing that she had Kristoff's arms around her. (Change to Kristoff's POV)

 **Chapter Sixteen:**

Anna is starting to get confused about the Selection and narrowing it down to the Elite. She talks it over with Elsa, explaining that she cares about each of them in their own way and she isn't sure she can make anyone leave because she is terrified that she might remove the love of her life. Elsa lets her cry for a bit and then reminds her that if she thinks she can get rid of them, they obviously aren't the one she is meant to be with. She tells her how exhausted she is trying to fall in love with each of them. Elsa reminds her that she doesn't have to give all of herself to each of them, just one small piece. Anna says that it doesn't really help, because she can't seem to keep anything for herself with the guys around. She already feels strongly for several of them. Elsa pats her on the shoulder and reminds her that it will all be okay. Anna isn't really comforted, but she is determined to make the decision and she leaves for the library where she can have some peace and quiet. (Anna's POV)

Anna decides that the only way to really sort it down is to spend time with each of the guys in a refined setting, to see who might be a good consort in the future. She manages to talk the kitchen staff into creating a garden party to celebrate the changing season, and arranges it for that weekend the day before the report. Elsa isn't sure about a party on such short notice, but Anna tells her that she only has to be a guest and enjoy herself. (Anna's POV)

Anna decides that in order to narrow it down the Elite, she needs to really spend time with them as a group, so she throws a "falling leaves" garden party to enjoy the changing colors in the garden. She makes sure to spend a few minutes with each guy (especially the ones she doesn't know quite as well), but she keeps finding herself cornered by Abraham and it starts to make her uncomfortable. Kristoff and Brian notice and they both come to her aid, drawing her away to one part of the garden or another. Abe gets annoyed and eventually takes off back into the palace. Anna takes Kristoff aside and asks if he thinks he could actually be happy here at the palace with her. If not he needs to tell her because she thinks he may be the one. His eyes grow soft and he gives her the most tender kiss they have yet shared. He tells her that as surprised as he is, he thinks he would be. She asks for a few weeks to be sure, and he tells her that she should take her time. He doesn't want her to regret her choices. (Anna's POV)

Elsa and Albin take a walk around the fountain after Albin has his few minutes with Anna. Elsa tells him that Anna has decided to bring it down to a handful of Elite and she will send the rest home. Albin looks at her hopefully, and asks if she wants him to stay when Anna decides to let him go. In answer she bumps her shoulder against his, the only form of affection she can show out in public. She feels the first bit of relief in months, realizing that she wants is so close. She mentions off hand that she is going to be reviewing some complaints in her study later and Albin gives her a small smile before walking off. (Elsa's POV)

Anna sits in her room that evening, going over the men left, trying to decide who she wants to keep and who she wants to get rid of. She puts Kristoff, Brian and Travis in the keep pile first, knowing that she really cares about those three and wants to keep them. She goes through some others, choosing to get rid of Abraham and keep Kenneth, but then she picks up Hans's photograph and feels a wave of anxiety run through her. With trembling fingers she turns his picture over and lets out a low sigh of relief. She knows that sending a few of the men home is going to be painful, but getting rid of others will make her feel more comfortable in her own home. (Anna's POV)

 **Chapter Seventeen:**

During breakfast, Anna makes the announcement about who will be staying in the palace and continuing with the Selection: Kristoff, Brian, Andrew, Travis, Kenneth and Albin. She apologizes that she can't keep everyone, but promises that she will always consider her "men" to be her closest friends. When only six remain, she tries not to cry and ends up excusing herself, though she asks those going home if they would like to say goodbye she will be in the Men's Room all day. (Anna's POV)

Elsa leaves the dining room with only one thought in her mind: Break things off with Albin. She's shocked that Anna chose to keep him, but she assumes that her sister sees in him all the good things she sees. Albin catches up to her before she reaches her study and she tries to push him away, reminding him that Anna chose to keep him and he doesn't belong to her in any way. Albin drags her into her study and sets her down on her sofa. He asks her if she really wants to see him marry her sister, if she really wants to give up on what they have together. Elsa bursts into sobs, the air around her starting to turn cold and fill with tiny crystal snowflakes. She shakes her head and he says that they need to tell Anna now, before things gets worse. Elsa knows that he's right, but she can't stand to hurt her sister. She begs him to wait, that she is sure Anna is leaning toward Kristoff or Travis. Albin sighs and kisses her hands. He says that he would do anything if it would make her happy. He whispers that he loves her just before he kisses her. It's the first time either of them have said the words. She doesn't say them back, but she does hold him a little bit tighter. (Elsa's POV)

Anna is sitting in the Men's Room, waiting on the men who are heading home and Abe is the first one to come in. He is really condescending toward her, saying that there are a million girls out there just like her and he's glad she sent him away. He suggests that she sent him away because he's too good for her and she was trying to put him in his place. She feels like she has been slapped across the face and she falls to the sofa after he leaves, trying to hold herself together for the rest of the goodbyes. When she says goodbye to Simon, he is wistful, but understanding. He knows that he could never really be comfortable being a royal, but he really did care for Anna. She kisses his cheek in farewell. When Hans comes in to say goodbye, she can tell he is surprised and a little angry, though he tries to hide it. He asks her what makes her so sure that it wasn't him and she admits that even though she thought it was going to be him from the very beginning, she just didn't feel anything special when he kissed her. He bows out, not even saying goodbye. Anna is relieved to be done with it and surprisingly desperate to see Kristoff again. (Anna's POV)

As Hans is leaving the palace, he looks back with shrewd eyes and the confidence that he will be back before too long, when she realizes her mistake. (Hans POV)

As Anna is getting ready for the report that evening, she thinks over everything that has happened in the past week and feels overwhelmed by what she might talk about. She decides to do something a little different… (Anna's POV)

During the first weekly report after narrowing it down to the elite, Anna reads a letter she wrote to her future husband, talking about the qualities she hopes he will have and how she longs for the day she will wake up and see his face beside hers in the morning. Elsa takes her aside afterward and suggests that maybe it was a little too passionate for an on-air report, but Anna disagrees. She says this whole thing is about finding love and it should be passionate. Elsa gives up on trying to reign Anna in and leaves with the excuse that she has work to do. When Kristoff walks by she tosses him a wink and is warmed when he grins back at her. She kind of hopes that he will come by her room for a late night kiss again, but doesn't want to be brazen when there are so many other guys she needs to give a chance to. (Anna's POV)

 **Chapter Eighteen:**

Anna decides to calm things down and have a movie night every evening with one of the remaining six guys. On the first night she and Travis watch a musical, snuggle and share their first kiss. It's sweet, but Anna can't help but compare it to Kristoff's kisses. Albin allows Anna to choose her favorite (a sappy romance) and they sit in companionable silence and share a popcorn, but when she tries to kiss him he goes for her hand instead. Kenneth and Anna watch a medical drama that has her burying her face in his shirt whenever lots of blood is on the screen. They share another kiss that is just as sweet and tender as their first one. She still feels like he is a viable choice, especially when he gives her his own suit jacket to keep her warm in the chilly room. Andrew chooses an adventure movie with lots of action and Anna finds herself getting bored with both choices, and even more disinterested when their kiss is a little on the wet side. Brian goes for monster movie/horror and drags Anna to the back row so they can cuddle and make out like teenagers. She thinks he is good looking, but every time he tries to kiss her neck she ends up giggling. In the end, they both laugh at the movie and the fact that Anna keeps jumping like a scared child. His kiss is nice, but it's almost too perfect and she can tell he has kissed a lot of girls. She does enjoy spending time with him though, so she plans another movie together the following week. (Anna's POV)

When it rolls around to Kristoff, Anna is ready for the perfect date. She lets him choose the movie, she grabs the snacks and drinks (and a blanket) and drags him into the back row where they can cuddle. He's really quiet at first and when Anna tries to reach for his hand under the blanket he leans away from her. She feels rejected and wonders what she did to make him treat her this way, when he mumbles something about "being last". Anna calls him out on it and he asks her point blank if she is only cuddling up to him to make up for the for the fact that she made him wait all week to see her, that she kept him for her last date. He asks if she's been doing this exact thing with every other guy and he admits that he doesn't like the feeling of knowing everyone else has sat in the same seat he is sitting in, shared the same blanket, held her close. Anna realizes that he is jealous and she can't help but grin. She admits that yes, she has to give everyone a fair shot just in case Kristoff decides he doesn't want a life in the palace. She also tells him that she saved him for last so she wouldn't feel guilty when they stayed up all night on a Friday night, watching movies and enjoying each other's company. She says that the other guys can't get jealous if they already had their time before him. He gives her a sheepish look and she asks if he wants to cuddle. He says that he is a bit chilly and she teases him about turning the thermostat down so he would have to share the blanket with her. When his lips move to her neck, she shivers and thinks about how Kristoff is the only one who could make her melt with his touch. The movie gets ignored when her fingers start to unbutton his shirt and his hand moves against her leg, slipping her skirt aside. His lips are on her neck and his fingers creeping close to her inner thigh when she whispers his name and that she loves him. They both freeze and Anna panics when he stares at her with a shocked expression. Anna asks him to forget she said it, he finally open his mouth to explain that he loves her too, but she puts her hands over his mouth and begs him not to ruin their night. She moves off his lap and they spend the rest of the movie in relative silence. He tries to walk her back to her room, but she refuses, saying that she needs to take a walk alone. He tries to kiss her and she dodges it, but he manages to kiss her forehead. She grabs the blanket that they used to cuddle up with and rushes back to her room before she can embarrass herself further. (Change to Kristoff's POV)

She lies in bed that night, hating herself for ruining such a perfect moment. She's convinced that Kristoff isn't as committed to their relationship as she is and she just knows that she has ruined it beyond repair. She ends up crying herself to sleep with the blanket she brought to the theater tucked around her so she can keep Kristoff's scent close. (Anna's POV)

Kristoff decides to visit Anna the next day, wanting to explain to her that he loves her as well. When he arrives, Cora opens the door and tells him that Anna has a fever and is going to spend the day in bed. He asks if he can come in and sit with her for awhile. Cora reminds him that he once told her he could never fall in love with a spoiled princess. He glares at her, and Cora rolls her eyes but gives them some privacy. He sings an old lullaby to her that his mother sang to him as a boy and lets himself enjoy being in her bed beside her. He tries not to think about the fact that she said she loved him only a few hours before, but he can't stop thinking about what it would be like to wake up beside her every morning. To be the father of her children and the only man that she gave her smiles to, or teased, or kissed. Before Kristoff leaves her, he tries to tell her that he wants her to choose him, that he wants to be the one she spends the rest of her life with. Unfortunately he can't articulate the words and instead he leaves with a soft kiss to her forehead instead. (Kristoff's POV)

 **Chapter Nineteen:**

When Anna wakes up the next morning, she feels groggy and lightheaded. Cora brings her breakfast and casually mentions that she promised Kristoff she would tell him when Anna was feeling better. Anna is confused and asks how Kristoff knew that she was sick. Cora is surprised that Anna doesn't remember his visit the day before, how he stayed for hours at her side. Anna searches through her hazy memories, but can only just make out a comforting presence. She eats her breakfast and tries to connect the two facts that Kristoff didn't say he loved her back, but came and stayed with her for hours while she was sick. When she can't come to a decision about what that means, she decides to clean herself up and go visit her sister. (Anna's POV)

Elsa is working in her study, constantly looking toward the door and waiting for Albin to join her. Anna bounds in, surprising Elsa and making her nervous. Elsa tries to gently push her out, asking if she has plans with any of the Elite, but Anna says that she cleared her calendar to spend the day with her sister. When Albin stops by, Anna is surprised but pleased. She assumes that the two have grown freindly, and because she knows that Albin has a mind for politics, she thinks it's great that Elsa has some help. Neither enlighten her, though the tension in the room is thick. Before she heads back out, Anna reminds Albin that they have a fishing date out on the lake early the next morning. When Anna leaves, Elsa turns to Albin and he shrugs, telling her that fishing isn't romantic. Elsa hates feeling jealous, but when he leans down to kiss her, she can't think about anything else. (Elsa's POV)

Still trying to get in more private time with each of the remaining men Anna decides to try and get a handle on her feelings for them, so she invites Andrew to have a private breakfast with her. Unfortunately, she realizes fairly quickly that even though he seemed exciting before, they just don't have very much in common. He is flighty and has very few interests outside of traveling, which is something that Anna is looking forward to politically, but can't see herself having very much time for just for fun. She also realizes that he could never be happy being cooped up in the castle with her, and it's incredibly disappointing because he is interesting and fun to be around.

After not really seeing each other much after the disastrous movie date and the long night that followed, Anna drags Kristoff outside for a lighthearted picnic. Unfortunately, they aren't outside for very long before they get caught in a terrible autumn rainstorm. They rush for the gazebo in the garden and end up sharing a sweet kiss and a slow dance as the rain creates a beat on the roof over their head. She doesn't bring up the heat of the moment "I love you" and Kristoff doesn't refer to it either. They just enjoy the moment, even though Anna can't stop herself from whispering the words to herself as he holds her close. She does manage to ask him again if he wants to stay or if he wants to leave. His answer is to kiss her and brush his thumb against her cheek. (Anna's POV)

While Albin is helping her with some paperwork, Elsa thanks him for something and says "that's why I love you." They both freeze, but then Albin says that he wasn't sure she would ever say it back. They embrace and Elsa wonders how they can tell Anna what is going on between them without hurting her. They agree that for now they should keep quiet, especially because it looks like Anna is leaning toward choosing Kristoff. They can announce their relationship afterward. Albin asks if that means she wants to keep him on a more permanent basis. She can't look him in the eye, but she nods and they both realize that her answer has solidified things in a way even their words of love hadn't managed to do. Elsa reasons with herself that she deserves to be happy just as much as Anna, and how could her sister begrudge her a man she doesn't want? (Elsa's POV)

 **Chapter Twenty:**

Anna is trying to work on helping Elsa plan the upcoming winter ball where they invite all of the countries they have treaties/friendly relationships with. Elsa catches her drawing hearts on the guest list and asks if there is something on her mind. Anna flushes and says that it's getting down to the end now and she's fairly certain she knows who she wants, but she isn't sure if he feels the same. Elsa tells her to go out and take a walk, she isn't any good to her when her head is in the clouds. Anna squeezes Elsa's hands and dances out of the room, hoping to bump into Kristoff on her way. (Anna's POV)

During the weekly report, Anna is talking about narrowing her down her choices and the possibility of going down to a final four. Kristoff manages to catch her eye and gives her a hesitant smile. In that moment she knows without a doubt that she has found the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with, that she wants to start her next great adventure with. She loves and trust him, and knows that he will be everything she could have ever wanted. She manages not to blurt it out right there on the report, because she wants to ask him privately just in case he says no. Somehow despite all of that running through her mind, she manages to finish up the report without letting anyone know what's on her mind. (Anna's POV)

During the next few days Anna makes preparations for her big proposal dinner. She also plans what she is going to say to each of the other members of the Elite when she tells them she isn't going to marry them. Andrew is disappointed, Travis is crushed, Kenneth winks and asks for a reference and Brian hugs her tight and tells her to make Kristoff a happy man. Otherwise he will come back and annoy the both of them. Anna laughs, kisses his cheek and promises that she will do everything in her power to make him happy. When Anna tells Albin, he seems relieved and hugs her tight. He tells her he will always care about her, but he knew that they weren't going to ever end up together. Anna is confused, but she brushes it off and goes to get ready for her dinner with Kristoff. (Anna's POV)

Anna is unusually quiet when Cora is helping her get ready for her final date with Kristoff. Cora is thrilled, but worried about the fact that Anna is so quiet. She asks if Anna chose Kristoff just because of his connection to her, and Anna swears that isn't the case. She's just worried that Kristoff isn't going to want to marry her, because of all the responsibility that comes with being Prince Consort. Cora urges Anna to trust her heart, because she knows her brother is crazy about the Princess. Anna hugs Cora tight and lets her know that if Kristoff agrees, they'll be family and she refuses to let her work for them anymore. Cora brushes her off, but Anna can tell she is pleased. Anna takes a deep breath and heads downstairs to the conservatory, hoping that her father's old ring fits Kristoff's finger. (Anna's POV)

 **Chapter Twenty One:**

When Kristoff arrives at the conservatory, he is surprised by how perfect everything looks, by how much effort went into this meal. He hadn't really spoken to any of the guys all day, having spent the day in his room, so he is unaware that this is the night Anna is going to propose marriage to him. When he sits down, Anna looks so nervous that he immediately asks her if she is trying to say goodbye. She is so surprised that he would think that, that she almost falls into a fit of nervous giggles. Instead of waiting until the end of the meal to ask him like she was planning, she moves around to the side of the table where he is sitting and places her father's ring in front of him. He asks her if this means what he thinks and she asks him if he would be willing to be Prince Consort, to live in the castle with her for the rest of their lives, to marry her. His response is to pull her onto his lap, shove his hands into her hair and pull her tight against him. Dinner is completely forgotten as Anna drags him into a small corner of the room where they whisper words of love to each other, kiss and touch each other, until they fall asleep tangled in each other's arms. **(** **"** **I knew I was in trouble when I** **couldn't help but notice the curve of your lips when you smile, the way your eyes wrinkle at the edges when you laugh, how you tuck your hair behind your ear when nervous…"** **)** (Kristoff's POV)

Anna wakes up early the next morning as the sun streams through the conservatory windows. She's disoriented for a moment, but then remembers how she ended up all disheveled in Kristoff's arms and smiles as she proceeds to kiss him awake. Kristoff tries to groan and roll over and Anna ends up trapped underneath his body, feeling his morning arousal against her inner thigh as he kisses her neck. She warms up quickly and laughs, trying to push him off, but his mouth moves lower and lower in his half-sleeping state and only her moan of surrender manages to wake him fully. He gives her an embarrassed grin, but she thanks him for giving her a small taste of what she can look forward to once they are married. She tells him that she wishes she could stay, but she needs to change her outfit and let Elsa know she made her choice so they can hold a royal announcement in the next few days. Kristoff reluctantly lets her up, but only after giving her one last lingering kiss. (Anna's POV)

After stopping by her room to change from her evening dress into a more casual morning outfit, Anna practically skips her way to her Elsa's study to give her sister the good news. When she opens the door, she is shocked to see Elsa and Albin curled up on the sofa, obviously in a very tender moment. Anna backs out of the doorway, her heart tearing into pieces at this betrayal. Elsa cries out Anna's name, but Anna puts her hands over her ears and runs from the room. (Anna's POV)

 **Chapter Twenty Two:**

Elsa watches as Anna runs for the room, her heart breaking. She turns to Albin and he looks crushed and urges her to go after her sister. Elsa heads toward Anna's room and knocks on the door, only to be told to go away. While she feels she deserves that, she isn't deterred and she walks in anyway. She spots Anna curled up in her bed, her arms wrapped around a pillow, sobbing her heart out. Elsa asks why she is so upset, didn't she choose Kristoff anyway? Anna snaps that if Elsa doesn't understand why this is a betrayal, nothing Anna says will make it clear. Elsa tries to explain her side of the story, how neither of them ever meant to hurt Anna, but they were drawn to each other and couldn't stop it. Anna asks why they didn't just tell her instead of hiding it and Elsa can't bring herself to admit that she kept it to herself because she couldn't handle hurting her sister, and she did it anyway. Instead she asks why Anna can't be happy for her, she found love just like Anna did. Anna suggests she send the rest of the men home then, because if Elsa is getting married, the whole Selection is pointless anyway. Elsa is shocked, tries to ask about Kristoff and why she would give that up, but Anna demands that Elsa just leave her alone. Elsa leaves but only after reminding Anna that she loves her, even if it doesn't seem that way. (Elsa's POV)

Elsa makes an announcement to the men in the Men's Room that evening, letting them know that the Selection has been terminated and all of them will be sent home. Kristoff opens his mouth to question, but Elsa gives him a grim look and says that yes, even he will be going home. He doesn't understand what has happened between that morning and now, but he doesn't intend to wait long to find out what happened. After Elsa leaves the room and the others start talking amongst themselves, Kristoff heads upstairs to talk to Anna and find out why she is sending him away. When he knocks on her door and gets a heartfelt "Go away, Elsa!", he decides to just go on in. He finds her curled up on her window seat, staring down at the frosted over garden. He calls her name, but she only starts crying again and so he rushes to her side and wraps his arms around her. She tries to push him away, but he holds tighter, asking why she is sending him away. She tells him that none of it matters anymore, not the selection or even love, especially when everyone lies and trust is fragile. He asks if this is because he kept the secret about Cora and she tells him no, but it doesn't matter and he needs to leave. He realizes that he isn't going to get through to her at this rate, so he decides to accept her decision for now, but he promises her that he isn't going away for good, only until she realizes what a mistake she made. He kisses the top of her head, says he loves her, and heads out the door. Before the door closes, he swears he can hear the faintest whisper of her voice saying that she loves him too. (Kristoff's POV)

Albin shows up in Elsa's study late that evening and finds her hunched over her desk with a half empty bottle of brandy and a glass in front of her. He asks lightly if she is planning to send him home as well after the events of the afternoon. She tells him no, that sending him home now will just send Anna the message that not only was she lied to, but it was about something so inconsequential that it didn't mean enough for Elsa to hold onto it. Albin asks if that's the only reason, or if she actually wants him to stay. She looks horrified and says that of course she wants him to stay, she loves him. He gives her a half smile, grabs a second glass from her shelf, and joins her for a drink at her desk. They drink in silence for a few moments and then Elsa leans on his shoulder and starts crying. He kisses her forehead and makes a plan to talk to Anna and try to sort things out before things get too out of hand. (Elsa's POV)

Anna finds herself with a strong sense of deja vu as the men file away from the palace, and she's watching them from the same exact window where she watched them arrive. When Kristoff passes into her line of vision, she wills him to look up so she can see his face just one more time. As if he can hear her thoughts, he turns with the same wry smile he had the first time she saw him. She places her hand against the window, and tears flow down her cheeks. She's already regretting her decision to make him leave, but she can't seem to call him back. He gives her a small nod, a smile she can't decipher, and he's gone, taking her heart with him. (Anna's POV)

 **Chapter Twenty Three:**

Anna refuses to see Elsa or speak with her, confining herself to her room for several days and not letting anyone in, even Cora. After three days of this, Albin decides to talk to Anna himself and try to smooth things over between the sisters. After discovering that her room is empty he searches through any place he can think of, the library, the kitchens, the ballroom, and finally he finds her curled up in the conservatory, looking dejected. She gives him an empty sort of look and tries to ignore him, but he refuses to go away. He asks if he can sit with her, she just shrugs and so he takes it as acceptance. They sit together in silence for several long minutes, and finally Anna asks him the question that has obviously been on her mind for the past few days. She asks if he ever really wanted her, or if his plan was always to arrive and worm his way into Elsa's bed. Albin was expecting it, but it still causes him to flinch. He tells her that for years he has been watching the weekly reports, and watching Anna especially. She seemed so bright and full of life, so happy and beautiful. He says that he really thought he could fall in love with her, that maybe her excitement might help pull him out of his shell. She asks him when it changed, and he says that it started when he saw Elsa using magic for the first time. It was so beautiful, so inspiring that he kept picturing it in his head for days afterward. He tells her that even then he didn't just give up on Anna, but the more they were together the less he realized they would suit, and after spending time with Elsa, he realized she was much more suited for him. He then tells her everything that happened between them, starting with the dance at Anna's birthday ball and ending with the day that Anna told him she was choosing Kristoff. Anna tells him that she really did care for him, that she thought they might be able to be happy together, especially since he seemed to get along so well with Elsa. She asks why he didn't just tell her the truth and save her the pain of his and Elsa's lie. He admits that neither of them wanted to hurt her, that they were planning to tell her when he didn't make it into the Elite. He says that when he did make it, Elsa tried to break things off with him, realizing that Anna obviously had feelings for him. Anna seems to perk up a bit at that and he tells her that he was the one who begged Elsa not to tear his heart out. He asks if she will give Elsa a chance to explain herself and make up with her. Anna doesn't seem too happy about it, but she agrees to let Elsa try to explain. She tells Albin she's sorry for not being what he wanted, and says that the Selection broke her heart in so many ways that she wished it never happened. Albin doesn't know how to respond, because it brought him to the best thing he could have ever hoped for. He tells her that it doesn't have to be that way, she did find someone she wanted to be with. Anna shakes her head, saying that after what happened with him and Elsa, she isn't sure she can trust anyone not to hurt her again. Albin sighs and leaves, knowing that nothing he says can really fix the heartbreak that he and Elsa gave her, but also thinking that this is exactly why he couldn't fall for her, she isn't mature enough for him. (Anna's POV)

Elsa waits a few hours before going to visit with Anna, but when she does she finds her still in the conservatory where Albin left her. The first thing she does is apologize, but Anna isn't having any of it. She tells Elsa that she doesn't want an apology, she wants an explanation. Elsa is confused, so Anna tells her that she isn't angry because Elsa fell in love with Albin, she's angry because neither of them thought enough about her feelings to consider telling her and what if she had fallen in love with Albin? Would the two of them have continued to sneak around behind her back? Elsa tries to argue, saying that she was only trying to protect Anna from being hurt, but Anna stops her. She says that she's nineteen years old, she's an adult, and Elsa needs to stop trying to protect her all the time. She tells Elsa that yes, she would have been hurt that Albin chose her sister over her, but she would have understood because the two of them suit each other so well. Elsa is shocked. Anna proceeds to explain that what hurts the most is being kept in the dark, being lied to about something so big. She breaks down and admits that it feels like no one respects her enough to keep her in the loop about anything, especially not the people she loves and trusted the most. She says that she has to accept that the Selection just wasn't meant to be her happily ever after, no matter how badly she wanted it to be. Elsa wants to ask about Kristoff, but decides against it, instead she wraps her arms around Anna and cries with her, begging forgiveness for making such a mess of everything. When they both stop crying, Anna asks if Elsa really loves Albin, and Elsa says that she does. Anna asks when they are planning to have the wedding and Elsa admits that they haven't really discussed it because they didn't want to hurt her any further. Anna shrugs it off and suggests that they don't wait too long as they don't want to give the Easton family any more ammunition. Elsa grimaces, but agrees that Anna is probably right. Before she leaves, she asks Anna to please join them for dinner that night. Anna is hesitant, but says maybe. It's all that Elsa can ask for. (Elsa's POV)

When Elsa heads back to her sitting room after her conversation with Anna, Albin is there waiting for her. He pulls her into his arms and lets her calm down after the exhausting conversations they both had with Anna. Finally, he asks her if after all that's happened, she still wants to keep him. She rolls her eyes, expecting this since he asks it almost everyday, and tells him that she hasn't changed her mind yet. He nods and then moves off the couch onto his knee before her and kisses her hand. When she realizes that he is trying to officially propose, her eyes grow wide and her hands start getting cold. He just squeezes them, smiles, says he loves her and always will. He tells her that if she agrees to marry him, it will make him the happiest man in the world. She nods, unable to speak, and he leans forward so he can give her a real kiss. (Elsa's POV)

 **Chapter Twenty Four:**

It's been a week since Kristoff was sent home and he has been pacing around his house, hoping for a letter from Anna calling him back and telling him she made a mistake. It still hasn't come when the first report since he left the castle comes on. He watches as Elsa and Albin announce their engagement, while Anna sits beside them and forces a smile. Cold fury floods him as he realizes that's why Anna sent him home, she felt betrayed by the people she loved most, and he didn't help with his own secrets that had come to her attention in the worst way. He vows to himself that as much as he wants to honor her wishes, he knows that she is making a mistake and he needs to save her from locking herself away from everyone forever. He rushes to his mother's study and begins penning a letter to Albin, asking for an audience with the Queen. (Kristoff's POV)

Kristoff arrives in the marketplace near the palace in a cold sweat. The day before he had gotten a call from Albin, suggesting that they meet at a pub in the marketplace instead of the palace, since they didn't want Anna accidentally overhearing this particular conversation. He is surprised when Albin shows up with Elsa, who makes a stir as she walks into the pub (as no one is expecting their Queen to show up there). The three of them sit down in a booth near the back of the pub and Elsa asks why he wanted to meet with them. Kristoff is tempted to tell them both off, his protective instinct for Anna rearing its ugly head, but instead he says that he could tell Anna was miserable on the report a few nights before. Elsa and Albin share unhappy looks, but neither of them can argue with him. Elsa asks if he has any ideas on how to fix it, since he obviously cares for her. He flatly states that he doesn't "care" for her, he _loves_ her. Elsa seems taken aback, but she asks him again what he thinks they can do to help her. Kristoff suggests that he, Brian and the rest of the Elite get invited to Elsa and Albin's engagement party the following weekend. Elsa seems surprised, but says that if the Elite are getting invited, they may as well send invitations to everyone involved in the Selection, minus a few specific individuals. Kristoff grins and they get down to planning a surprise for Anna that she will never expect. He can't stop himself from rubbing the ring Anna gave him, which he still hasn't taken off. Elsa notices it, catches his eye and then looks away. Kristoff realizes that Elsa really has no idea what was going on between him and Anna, she was too wrapped up in her own situation with Albin. It makes him even more determined to make this work out, because he wants Anna to have someone she can depend on, trust and confide in, and he desperately wants to be that person. (Kristoff's POV)

When Hans gets his invitation to the engagement party in the mail, he can't help but grin over the circumstances. Everything is falling into place exactly the way he wanted it. He reaches for the phone and makes a call, letting the person on the other end know that "It's time for plan b…" (Hans POV)

 **Chapter Twenty Five:**

The morning of the engagement party, Anna is trying to get herself to calm down. She has been working on forgiving Elsa and Albin for keeping such a big thing from her, but it's hard. Elsa shows up at Anna's door, a wide smile on her face and a dress in her hands. She begs Anna to be happy for her, that this is the happiest she has ever been. Anna says that she is happy for her, even if it's difficult to show it. Elsa asks her to wear this dress to the party and not to be late. She kisses the top of her head and disappears, leaving Anna to dress herself. She laments over the fact that she reassigned Cora, but she couldn't continue looking at a reminder of the love she threw away day after day. Anna takes several deep breaths and whispers her new mantra in the mirror "You are strong, you can do this, you are good enough." It doesn't always work, but repeating it over and over helps to calm the pain in her heart. (Anna's POV)

Two hours later Anna finds herself wandering around the party, surprised to see so many familiar faces. Brian sweeps her into a dance, makes her smile for the first time since she sent all the guys away and helps her to feel more at peace at the party. When he is done, he spins her into Kristoff's arms and Anna is stunned speechless. Kristoff pulls her against his chest and she can't stop staring at him, wondering if he's real, and if he is, what she should say to him. When she just stares at him for several long minutes, Kristoff asks if she's happy to see him. She can't figure out if she is or not, because she feels so guilty for sending him away after asking him to marry her. She notices that he is still wearing her father's ring and that's enough to set her off into a crying mess. He pulls her off the dance floor toward one of the tables that had been set up for the dinner later on, and he asks if she wants him to go. She shakes her head and tries to think of a way to explain what she is feeling, when screams ring through the ballroom. Anna stands up to see what's going on and notices that a group of people dressed as guards have pulled out their guns and are surrounding the guests. She feels something bite into her thigh, but before she can comprehend what is going on, Kristoff tosses her to the floor and jumps in front of her. She screams as she watches a red stain color his shoulder, and is about to fall to her knees beside him when she feels a hand grasp her arm and tug her away. Anna screams Kristoff's name, panicking because she doesn't know if he is alive or dead and there are so many things she never got to say to him. A hand clamps over her mouth and she is pulled through the ballroom door. (Anna's POV)

Kristoff is struggling to stay awake, but the adrenaline is forcing the blood to leave his body faster, and when he manages to open his eyes, he watches helplessly as Hans drags Anna and Elsa from the chaos of the ballroom. He tries to reach out a hand to their disappearing forms, but Kenneth drops to his side and pulls him under a table so they can both hide. Kristoff tries to whisper Anna's name, but Kenneth is focused on Kristoff's wound. He swears, rips off his jacket and starts to craft a makeshift patch to staunch the blood flow. He demands that Kristoff stay with him, but the loss of Anna and the loss of blood are too much for him and Kristoff loses consciousness. (Kristoff's POV)

 **Chapter Twenty-Six:**

Elsa is terrified, panicked and angry when Hans Westergaard tosses her and Anna into the Men's Room and locks the door behind them. She looks over Anna and realizes that there is blood pooling from the side of her dress, and her sister doesn't seem to notice, she keeps whispering Kristoff's name and staring blankly into space. Elsa can tell her sister is going into shock and forces herself to take charge and keep Hans's attention on her so Anna can pull herself together. Elsa watches in horror as Hans pulls a gun out of the inside of his jacket and she asks why he is doing this. Is he with the group that infiltrated the palace, or is he just taking advantage of the situation. He laughs and informs her that he's actually the one in charge of the whole thing. Elsa is confused for a moment, but then she really looks at him and everything connects. "You're an Easton." He nods with a pleased smile, takes inventory of the blood pooling around the floor under Anna and lays out his plan with absolute relish. Elsa notices from the corner of her eye that his explanation is starting to bring Anna out of her shocked state and Elsa wants to distract him before he can take her out. She applauds him on pulling one over on them, saying that she didn't have the faintest idea he was trying to take over the kingdom this whole time. She gives Anna a slight nod, motioning her to take action while Hans is distracted with his own story. (Elsa's POV)

Anna comes back to the present when the pain in her leg grows from an icy bite to a flaming heat, and she starts to actually hear what Hans has been telling Elsa. She gathers enough to realize that their lives are both in danger and she can tell that Elsa is distracting him in the hopes that Anna can sneak up behind him. Anna grasps around behind herself for anything she can use to incapacitate Hans and she find a fireplace poker in the fireplace set that she crashed into. She takes it in her hands and watches helplessly as Elsa lunges for the gun to give Anna a fighting chance. Hans pistol whips Elsa with it a moment before Anna buries the poker into his back. Hans collapses onto Elsa, who screams and pushes him off. Anna, dizzy from lack of blood and the horror of what has just happened, collapses herself. (Anna's POV)

 **Chapter Twenty-Seven:**

When Anna wakes up in the hospital she is disoriented and can't remember how she got there. She starts to panic until Elsa rushes over to her and takes her hand, begging her to calm down. Anna asks what happened and when Elsa says "We were ambushed…" it all starts to come back. She immediately asks where Kristoff is, whether or not he's alive. Elsa tries to calm her, points out Kristoff in a bed just a few feet away from where Anna is. Anna throws herself out of bed and nearly passes out again before Brian comes to her aid and carries her to Kristoff's side. She asks Brian what the prognosis is, knowing he is the one person who won't lie to her. He shakes his head and she grabs Kristoff's hand and starts to cry. She promises him that she won't leave his side until he wakes up and she can apologize for being stupid and almost ruining their happy ending forever. While waiting with him, she hears what happened while she and Elsa were with Hans (who couldn't be saved). Albin had his right knee shattered by a bullet and made it through surgery with the prognosis that he may have to walk with a cane for the remainder of his life. Both Simon and Andrew were killed in the chaos and Anna struggles to process that information. Elsa asks if Anna plans to stay next to Kristoff all night, and Anna says that she will stay until she can't hold on any longer. (Anna's POV)

Hours pass and she takes to praying and begging for Kristoff to be okay, to wake up so she can make things right. She whispers words of love and apology until she grows hoarse. As night falls she crawls into bed next to him and is nodding off when she hears him whisper her name. He places a shaky hand to her face and Anna bursts into tears and buries her face against his neck. He laughs weakly and says he loves her too. ( **"** **You need to wake up because I can't do this without you."** **)** (Anna's POV)

When Kristoff is able to get out of bed he is surprised to find Anna isn't anywhere nearby like she usually is. He asks around and finds out from Elsa that Anna is usually in the conservatory these days. He heads there and discovers her wrapped in a blanket, sitting on the padded bench where they spent their engagement night together. When she notices him she jumps up in surprise and puts her hands to her mouth to keep her sobs stifled. He moves her hands and holds them tightly in his. She tries to apologize for everything she did but he stops her with a kiss and reminds her that he loves her and nothing can change that. She says that she did so many awful things to him and he responds with "The sky is blue, there is snow in the winter and Kristoff endlessly loves Anna. It's the way the world works." She shakes her head and smiles, but before she can try to apologize again he gets down on his knee and proposes. She agrees and they share a passionate kiss. (Kristoff's POV)

 **Epilogue:**

The wedding. Brian is best man and Cora is maid of honor. From Kristoff's perspective.

A/N: So, I hope that you were able to enjoy the outline, even if it wasn't a completed fic. I really am sorry that I didn't finish it, but I'm so grateful for the people who cared enough about the story to send me messages. Love you guys.


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